Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols Chapter 429 - Misfits (1)

Spark’s 2nd-anniversary live was a high-stimulation rollercoaster that traversed hot and cold baths, heaven and hell, and joy and sorrow. Baek Haewon and other Sparklers only had to aworry about keeping their jaws from dropping as they enjoyed the full-course fan service Spark provided.

 

And then…….

 

『Yes! We are making a comeback!』

 

…There was the teaser played without warning at the very end of the live, followed by a surprise comeback announcement.

 

Even after the broadcast ended, the fire showed no signs of cooling down. Baek Haewon had only meant to say, ‘Are these guys actually insane? (positive)’, but by the time she snapped out of it, two hours had vanished. The teaser was more mysterious than ever, which only fueled the fire.

 

They released an album in November, and now they were bringing a new song in March. There weren’t many idols as diligent as Spark.

 

Baek Haewon had been waiting for Spark’s comeback as much as she had been waiting for her own university entrance. While some voiced concerns that a March comeback might mean a ‘back-to-school’ concept, Spark wouldn’t have made it this far if their planning was that predictable.

 

‘Though it’s even better when they come out with a serious, polished concept.’

 

With the turn of the year, Spark had become third-year idols. As junior groups debuted, Spark got dragged into tier debates and performance competition—things no one cared about except anti-fans.

 

Baek Haewon wasn’t too worried. Spark’s results were the best among their peers anyway, to say nothing of their public recognition. Perhaps because the members had a strong aura, no juniors dared to act up or act overly familiar without being close. Honestly, they have no idea how soft and sweet our boys actually are…

 

Still, from a fan’s perspective, it was always better for her bias to be indisputably the best. They’d done well so far, so she hoped this time, too, they’d come back with results that would silence any nonsense.

 

Sorry for being a greedy Sparkler. But I believe in you guys.

 

As Baek Haewon counted down the minutes until 6 PM, the music video for the new song, 『Bright』, was finally uploaded.

 

* * *

 

In the darkness, the sound of a match striking against a box was heard. A flickering flame transferred to a candle. Full lips blew out the match, and the person vanished behind the smoke.

 

『─.』

 

A small whisper sounded, like static or a low-volume sound effect.

 

The profound atmosphere was flipped by a rhythmical bass. A light yet brilliant keyboard melody felt like light reflecting all over the set.

 

Park Joowoo sat slumped in a dignified chair, the kind seen only in classic Western paintings. Between the chair and the space decorated with gems transparent as diamonds, only the blue-haired Park Joowoo stood out.

 

Park Joowoo’s face was white and flawless. The boundaries where the shadows fell were so crisp that he looked more like a perfectly edited image than a being in the real world.

 

As the shadow half-covering his face lifted, he shone even whiter. Pale sky-blue embroidery, nearly silver, adorned his pure white outfit.

 

『I remember

the first promise we shared』

 

Park Joowoo held a large gemstone up to his eye as if inspecting it against the light. His gray pupils were projected through the gem.

 

Deep gray and pale, cloudy sky-blue blurred in turn, and then the screen was sucked into a faint green light.

 

Kang Kiyeon stood in the middle of a green garden. Around him were lush, glossy leaves. Behind the trees, dark brown lattice window frames resembling an old house were visible.

 

Kang Kiyeon’s statue-like face stared straight ahead.

 

『You said to me,

“Be my

eternal star”』

 

If one were to express his calm yet noble voice as a tree, it would resemble that sapling with thick, glossy leaves.

 

With every movement, a darkness that seemed found only in the depths of a forest settled over his dark green durumagi patterned with black designs. Kang Kiyeon’s hand reached toward a small, light-green apple hanging from the tree.

 

『After staying up through the long night,

I’m coming to you now』

 

Kim Iwol’s voice spread out like red silk. In the group dance scene, everyone wore black shirts and dress pants with slightly different details. It created a more ascetic impression than the gray suits of 『MISSION』.

 

Intense lighting shone on their styled hair and heavy makeup. The luster of black leather gloves and shoes moved here and there following the camera work.

 

The moment she saw the bright red velvet curtains and carpets, the golden pillars, and the chandeliers, Baek Haewon thought of an opera house. The choreography felt like a single musical movement.

 

The instruments surged.

 

『I’ll become the light,

I’ll fill it with myself,

dazzlingly』

 

The end of the highlight connected to the intro of the second verse.

 

A deep pink color flowed like paint from Kang Kiyeon’s lips as he bit into the apple. Stained glass featuring rose vines wrapped around a window frame shone brilliantly.

 

『If I were to

put a price on my heart』

 

The green and pale red mixed into his deep brown pupils evoked the petals of a flower bed painted in oils. The combination of Jeong Seongbin’s soft voice and the layered sessions matched perfectly with every passing scene.

 

A pale pink light, faded from coloring Seongbin’s white suit, poured down over Kim Iwol’s head.

 

『It would probably be

whatever you call it』

 

Gift boxes of various sizes, ribbons, and a line of display cases surrounded Kim Iwol. His sweet vocals blended with the pastel-toned background.

 

Though his hair was pink like before, the feeling was different. Between the strands of hair, hints of blue and white flickered and vanished repeatedly. The overlapping strands of different colors created a mysterious hue. Blush combined from various colors added to the mystical atmosphere.

 

『Decide the value』

 

With a flick of Kim Iwol’s fingertip, a hot pink ribbon unraveled in an instant.

 

As the box opened, a bright light poured out and…

 

『Engrave the words

that mean the most』

 

…Lee Cheonghyeon, sitting in the center of a pure white light source, revealed himself. Light reflected and scattered from his accessories covered his face until it was blurry. As Lee Cheonghyeon tilted his chin up, his sharp features were clearly revealed.

 

Light sparked in his eyes, caught by the illumination. Like flying sparks.

 

The crackling embers became a flame on a candelabra held by a large hand.

 

Just before the rising music reached its climax.

 

『Even if I can’t reach,

it’s okay, to me』

 

In a brief pause, Choi Jeho stared at the flickering flame before his eyes.

 

『Reach out your hand』

 

Holding the antique candelabra, Choi Jeho headed toward a massive door.

 

As he pushed the door open with force, a hall covered in gold greeted him. When Choi Jeho placed the candelabra on a shelf by the entrance, the symmetry of the space finally fell into perfect alignment.

 

『Forever,

I will fill it up』

 

Every time the chorus with surging ad-libs and the melody alternated, the scenes switched busily between the red stage and the members’ individual spaces. Jeong Seongbin and Park Joowoo, standing at the ends of the formation, faced each other and raised their notes.

 

『Dazzlingly』

 

Choi Jeho sitting on a golden throne; Lee Cheonghyeon opening his eyes and shining his pupils through the fingers that had covered them; Kim Iwol tying a ribbon around his own neck.

 

『The last words

I said to you』

 

Jeong Seongbin looking up at the stained glass; Kang Kiyeon holding up the stem of an apple with no flesh left; Park Joowoo pushing a gemstone between his lips—all passed by rapidly in a short moment and…

 

『Recall them』

 

The final moment, with only a fading accompaniment remaining.

 

Under the chandeliers filling the ceiling, Choi Jeho moved his lips.

 

『From the beginning to the end.』

 

It was very small, and low enough that it seemed it might not be heard……

 

But every nerve focused on her ears clearly caught his words.

 

* * *

 

The initial reaction to 『Bright』 had some quite conflicting parts.

 

≫ The concept is interesting

It’s definitely not the pure/refreshing vibe they’ve done before, but it’s not overtly ‘SEXY!!!’ either.

But I’m worried if it’s okay to watch this in public.

The boys are all covered up, but I still feel self-conscious.

└ The visuals are so overwhelming that I just watch while going ‘Wow…’

└ Good-looking guys just keep coming out endlessly, and they’re all adults.

 

≫ This MV’s colors, framing, everything is perfect…

You could pause anywhere and it looks like a photoshoot.

└ We don’t need a narrative. The narrative is already in their faces.

 

≫ It looks like they spent a lot of money, but it doesn’t feel like they put in a massive amount of effort.

It’s just simple? The set looks expensive?

You know the feeling.

└ Did I expect too much after ‘On A High Note’…? Tsk.

└ OAHN was crafted very precisely… haha

└ You can’t get something on the level of OAHN twice ㅠ Iwol planned that one from the start as a double title.

└ The previous release, Hideout, was a digital single, but the quality feels similar, so maybe that’s why it feels like this.

└└ Yeah, it’s definitely an upgrade from Hideout, but maybe they focused too much on making the faces look pretty? Still, it’s not bad quality, so I’m satisfied enough~

 

≫ The song is wasted.

Just looking at the chart potential, it could’ve ridden the success of Hideout and blown up, but the MV kind of fumbled it.

 

About half the responses were positive, and the other half expressed disappointment. This was the case even excluding the posts that were just blindly hateful.

 

But this public opinion began to shift little by little as the connection between the music video and the song became clearer.

 

≫ Isn’t the MV actually really well made…?

The more I listen, the better it matches the song.

 

As listeners realized that every single direction they thought was just for aesthetic purposes was actually closely linked to specific elements of the music…

 

≫ Perfect visualization of music

A reminder of what the essential role of a music video is.

I’m impressed.

└ The more I dissect the organic connection with the song, the more I can’t help but marvel… As a middle-aged man who works in video, this was an interesting MV.

└ If hearing had a color, it would be these colors. I have to say their sense for using intense colors at points of emphasis or switching colors when the flow of the melody changes is excellent… The director is a genius.

 

≫ At first, I didn’t notice because I couldn’t hear Jeho’s voice well, but after hearing the last lyrics and narration and repeating it, I realized.

“I told you I’d give you everything” → “Recall the last words” → “From the beginning to the end” → “I told you I’d give you everything”

An endless loop…

└ I keep listening to the song through the MV because of this…

└ ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Right, Jeho’s voice isn’t even in the official audio.

└ To hear the message, you have to watch the MV → Once you start watching the MV, you keep listening to the song

└ No wonder the views are rising so fast ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

≫ Guys, it’s official that the members’ motifs are their birthstones

They say they are giving everything from the moment they are born

└ I’m passed out

└ Kim Iwol is finally turning Spark into jewels inside a Sparkler’s drawer.

 

The controversy over ‘Has UA’s discipline slackened?’ for the new year was instantly dispelled. Completely.

 

And just as this promotion cycle seemed like it would go smoothly…

 

≫ Why hasn’t P-J-W been on BubblePop much lately?

 

…The first signs of dark clouds began to appear.