The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 144

[The long-awaited Best New Artist for Boy Groups goes to! Congratulations, CENTIX!]

No surprises occurred.

The debut first-day record that CENTIX had consistently achieved among idol fans was so incredibly high.

No matter how much some people tried to stir up trouble with claims like “it’s just an audition program fluke,” it wasn’t working anymore.

It wasn’t a record built solely on the remnants of 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉.

They had continuously proven that it was a result created by the six members who debuted as CENTIX working together.

So when the leader Ryu Si-hwan delivered his acceptance speech with eloquent words, viewers showered him with warm congratulatory messages.

―This is so natural lol congratulations~

―The kids all look so handsome. Are these the idols who’ve been frequently in the news lately?

└Yes yes, that’s right! They just came back from winning 3 awards at KIMA recently and even achieved a triple crown on their first activity, ma’am!

└Ah~ I see. No wonder the guy speaking now has such a good voice… it’s clear and bright like jade beads rolling. ^^ It would have been great if he sang mainly ballads or songs like that. It’s a shame he’ll probably just dance.

└Our Si-hwan has sung quite a few other songs too…! If you search the official CENTIX channel on NeoTube, you can see videos of him singing while playing guitar himself!

―Let’s go for a rookie award sweep this year~

―These guys really don’t feel like rookies because of their incredible aura… If they make comebacks a couple more times next year, they’ll probably win a grand prize right away

└While that’s wishful thinking, honestly just looking at their current form, it’s not impossible

└The first comeback will be the deciding factor. Rave, get your act together and prepare properly…….

―Leader, speak a little less and go! At this rate you’ll run out of comments lol. Your kids aren’t just receiving awards today, they have two more to get!! Save your comments!!

└Now that I think about it, who gave speeches at KIMA?

└Si-hwan and Ha-ru

└Si-hwan and Seon-woo just did it, so next award ceremony it’ll be Si-hyeok, Ha-woon, and Hwi

└Our wolf-pup makes me nervous lol. The kid’s so serious that whenever he gives speeches like this, he stretches like mozzarella

└Lol I can picture it without even seeing it, but I trust someone will cut him off… like Hwan-father maybe

└Ryu Si-hwan: “Do it.”

Looking at CENTIX in their neat black suits, people began speculating about what kind of stage they’d show at the KBC Music Festival.

It had already been a hot topic even before the Music Festival aired, so opinions were still divided in various ways.

―Isn’t that suit look something they wore in the music video?

└Today seems like they’re going with a basic concept, nothing special

└Since it’s their first year-end public broadcast, that’s probably likely

└But costumes can be changed anytime before the stage starts lol. So guessing from that is basically meaningless

―Are they just going to sing Chronic and leave? This time KBC invited so many teams that everything’s flying by super fast

└Real, parts 1 and 2 were basically done in 5 minutes per team

└But the groups left now are all heavy hitters… Surely they wouldn’t make them do just one song?? They’re a major source of ratings, no??

└It probably won’t be Winning Shot or Uprising, ah are we going back to the HIT/Chronic combination again? I don’t know, my head hurts

After a brief wait, CENTIX’s actual stage that raised the curtain once again overturned everyone’s expectations.

―♬♪♩♩♩♪♬♬…….

Music box sounds ringing so low they raised slight goosebumps.

The LED screen showing a dark forest background created an ominous atmosphere, and in front of it, dolls possessed by something wandered slowly while wearing black robes.

Thick fog began billowing from both sides of the stage, creating a mysterious yet sinister air that could be felt on the skin.

―Save me…….

―Save me…….

Unidentified voices quietly whispered for salvation like whispers in the ear, making that atmosphere feel even more real.

And at the precise timing, the wandering backup dancers all stopped in place.

A new figure wearing a hood with silver ornaments walked out through the densely packed space.

Just as the music box sounds grew more eerie through the speakers.

The figure removed his hood while flashing a maniacal smile.

[My pleasure.]

Kang Seon-woo with his trademark silver hair cut cleanly in an undercut.

The sides of the undercut had returned to their natural black color where the dye had faded, forming a natural two-tone.

The black uniform with ornate shoulder decorations. Dark eyeliner contrasting with his fair skin, and his raised corners of his mouth that strangely suited his sharp eyes perfectly made MILLENNIUM’s hearts race.

―Wow Kang Seon-woo’s visuals are insane today

―Suddenly a music box came on and the atmosphere was kind of scary, but seeing Seon-woo as the first appearance immediately made me understand lol. He really nails dark concepts properly

―Haah, yeah Seon-woo, use that natural side profile of yours properly like that!! Don’t keep making funny faces on variety shows, okay??

└This is where the Hahoe mask gif should appear

└I knew this would happen and brought one (Photo)

└Ah shit, have some mercy on days when Seon-woo’s beauty potential explodes like today

└LMAO

The intro of 〈Chronic〉, which should originally have deep house piano sounds, was replaced with eerie music box sounds and the ticking of clock hands.

And the start of the first melody was also handled by Kang Seon-woo who opened the stage.

Kang Seon-woo, who had always received attention for his variety show skills and exceptional rap abilities.

There hadn’t been any videos showing his pure vocal skills even in the song cover content steadily uploaded to CENTIX’s official NeoTube account.

People watching the Music Festival were surprised twice by his unexpectedly clear-sounding tone.

―What, the main rapper sings that well too??

―As expected, major agency trainee experience doesn’t go anywhere lol

―What, wasn’t Seon-woo’s voice mid-low range? Why does it sound sweet here?

└Looking at other rappers’ interviews, some deliberately lower their voices when rapping. Seon-woo might be that type too

―He absolutely killed the opening

―I never dreamed they’d arrange Chronic with this kind of atmosphere… Do these guys even have time to practice by changing stage concepts like this every time?

Starting with Kang Seon-woo, the remaining CENTIX members who had been hiding among the backup dancers also appeared one by one, singing their parts.

Chae Ha-ru, Seong-hwi, Ma Si-hyeok, and Yu Ha-woon gathered at center stage in that order, and CENTIX showed off their signature knife-group dance to match the first verse chorus.

The melodic lines of deep house were all arranged with music box sounds, making it feel like a nocturne of ghosts.

When mixed skillfully with the existing bass lines, it wasn’t boring at all and instead effectively created a fresh atmosphere.

Meanwhile, MILLENNIUM, who couldn’t take their eyes off the screen, were desperately searching for Ryu Si-hwan who still hadn’t appeared.

―What, why isn’t Si-hwan coming out?

―Right, the chorus is Si-hwan’s part too but the kids are all singing together

―He’s not sick, is he?? Why is he the only one not appearing?

―Was there any news posted on the official account or official schedule? I’m starting to get really panicked

└No no no, there was absolutely no announcement about Si-hwan being sick

└Looking at how he appeared on the live broadcast, it’s definitely not a health issue

└It’s probably performance-related, everyone just wait a bit patiently

The reward for stopping those who were about to panic was delivered immediately.

MILLENNIUM who listened to 〈Chronic〉 dozens of times a day knew that Kang Seon-woo’s rap came right after the first verse chorus.

So they naturally expected Kang Seon-woo to grab the microphone this time too.

[Trapped in time, endlessly drawing only you]

A solid yet gentle voice covered the melody that had risen from the ominous minor key to major.

The camera naturally turned to find the source of this beautiful sound, showing a tall staircase set that had been erected.

Ryu Si-hwan standing at the top flaunted his ornate epaulettes while sweeping his arms like a maestro.

The fast-paced rap part was completely transformed by the arrangement.

MILLENNIUM, who hadn’t expected the part change between Kang Seon-woo and Ryu Si-hwan at all, went absolutely wild over this flow they were hearing for the first time.

―Wow shit, Mom, I think I’m going to lose it

―No seriously, Ryu Si-hwan’s tone is insane no matter how many times I hear it lol. How does he sing so comfortably?

―It feels like watching an opera… Those forest backgrounds and fog and music box sounds and the kids’ uniforms with epaulettes and the backup dancers’ costumes are all insane. How did they even think of this stage?

└CENTIX, the idols serious about concepts

└I totally expected them to just perform Chronic normally lol. Sorry, sorry, my faith was lacking

While the rap verse dressed in melodic lines progressed, the CENTIX members positioned at the bottom of the stage followed Ryu Si-hwan’s gestures like marionettes.

Ryu Si-hwan at the highest position and the dozens of people seemingly controlled by him truly felt like watching a scene from a dark opera.

When Ryu Si-hwan’s part ended and he came down from the staircase set to rejoin them, CENTIX became complete again.

Following the group dance that seemed to pour out intense emotions through choreography, the 〈Chronic〉 stage continued to increase immersion.

Now with only the dance break remaining.

MILLENNIUM was preparing to watch the dance break of this opera version 〈Chronic〉 that was currently beautifully running wild, but once again CENTIX made their expectations completely useless.

Sudden acceleration of the beat was joined by magnificent violin sounds.

Guitar’s crisp sounds that enriched the atmosphere also harmonized, making the air tremble.

The six idols temporarily stopped in place as robed backup dancers gathered around them in perfect order.

And following the completely reversed melody, they all threw off their robes high into the sky in synchronized movements.

[Sing it with me, our time of victory!]

Very familiar lyrics.

When the punch line of 〈Royal Road〉, which had gloriously decorated the finale of 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉 and drawn mass singalongs from countless national managers, came out, the cheers of the audience who came to the venue pierced through the TV.

―Royal Road comes out here, these crazy—

―Wow lol. Everyone predicted they’d do just one song, but it’s not one song!

―The suspense buildup is out of this world seriously lol. This was a situation where they could do Chronic and Royal Road separately, but that would feel choppy, so they arranged Royal Road and inserted it into the dance break section

└Really… The development is completely smooth and seamless

└At KIMA it was HIT/Chronic, now at KBC it’s Chronic/Royal Road. Don’t tell me they prepared completely different configurations for every year-end stage???

└I’d get seriously goosebumps if that’s the case

└Different song configurations and completely different concepts every time, if they pull this off it’s absolutely insane lmao. Look now too, the usual choreography and formations are completely different, the arrangement is different, and they even did part changes

└This is the venom of those bastards who broke through that brutal survival show and debuted… No wonder I’m going crazy and jumping around

Partially arranging 〈Royal Road〉 to replace 〈Chronic〉’s dance break section.

CENTIX’s unexpected stage configuration amazed not only MILLENNIUM but also regular viewers who came to watch the Music Festival enough to make them gasp.

Anyone could see at a glance that extremely difficult choreography was unfolding continuously, even those who hadn’t deeply followed CENTIX.

Year-end award ceremony stages are just one-time events.

Everyone knew that to distinctively decorate this one-time stage, you had to meticulously tear apart and rebuild all the choreography and formations you’d practiced for months.

That’s why CENTIX’s KBC Music Festival performance seemed to show their overwhelming abilities beyond doubt.

The 〈Royal Road〉 dance break with its storm-like beat passed, and the melody returned to 〈Chronic〉 again.

CENTIX had moved so intensely that they were out of breath up to their necks.

However, Ryu Si-hwan holding the hand microphone today also concentrated until the end to handle the final high note passage, proving why he’s currently highly regarded as the main vocalist.

CENTIX’s stage ended with Kang Seon-woo’s ending fairy, who seemed destined to decorate today’s beginning and end.

MILLENNIUM, who hadn’t taken their eyes off the screen for even a second, could finally breathe out the breath they’d been holding.

―Ha, so relieved they ended well

―How do our kids never follow what I think lol. They’re at a level where even if I predict the prediction of the prediction, I still don’t know

―Personally, I feel good that other people seemed impressed too hehe

└I thought this was the real key point today too. Since it’s KBC, quite a few elderly people probably watched, and they properly showed off their skills

└Actually, I spotted elderly people talking about Si-hwan during the live talk lol. They were praising his good voice

└Today’s MVP is Seon-woo (opening gif) Look at that, look at those raised corners of his mouth

└That guy is seriously a fox incarnate lol. He always gets picked on during variety shows so it’s like that, but he’s also the best at talking and his fan service is incredible

└Now if posts like “Is that silver-haired kid available?” spread on Bluebird, it’ll be even more of a boost

└CENTIX already went up on real-time trending, so good

The remaining heavyweight idols Zefa and Comet also showed stages that didn’t disappoint their fans, and the Music Festival came to an end.

There were no troubles between fandoms, and unexpectedly every team showed high-quality performances, so even general viewers seemed satisfied with the atmosphere.

And the internal atmosphere of CENTIX, which had become the talk of the town, was also hotter than ever.

“Now then, the 1st CENTIX Christmas Gift Exchange Ceremony will begin!”

I pressed my forehead looking at Kang Seon-woo, who was already showing off his department manager vibes after consuming two cans of beer.