NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 62: Chapter 220
The relentless summer heat finally passed, and October arrived with a chilly breeze.
Despite being busy preparing for end-of-year performances, overseas schedules, and discussions for their next comeback, The Dawn's practice sessions continued without pause.
The plagiarism incident had been resolved, but the atmosphere still felt somewhat cautious.
Even while limiting his own activities, Kang Ichae worried about the fans and posted on the official fan café.
The post began with how much he missed "Noeul" and included the line:
[Because it's a fan song that's incredibly precious to me, I hope it remains a good memory for Noeul too.]
He didn't directly mention the plagiarism.
[Ddeongings... How can you not love them]
[Kang Ichae is seriously just the best,,,,]
Reading through those fan comments, Seo Hoyun couldn't help but reflect.
'I've made things too hard for Noeul.'
Even if he was the type to not care much about others' opinions, being an idol meant he couldn't ignore his fans.
What made it worse was that all the major incidents had occurred within the two years since Seo Hoyun had joined The Dawn.
It was also partly his fault—he had carried over his old methods of gaining attention through controversy from his PD days.
Seo Hoyun did feel a bit of remorse.
'I should keep a low profile for a while.'
Come to think of it, the system window hadn't been popping up much lately. It still responded when called, but it no longer jumped out randomly, interrupted him with snarky commentary, or threw absurd dialogue choices his way.
Seo Hoyun decided to take advantage of this and lay low as much as possible.
But as always, life had other plans.
"A variety show with Min Jiheon, sir?"
A few days later, when summoned by the company CEO, he was told to appear on a variety show with Min Jiheon.
"Just the two of us?"
"Yes."
Even if The Dawn was the second most popular act after Min Jiheon under Daepaseong, and even if they were considered a golden goose these days, without Seo Hoyun in the picture, the CEO would definitely have dealt with them more easily. But Seo Hoyun was slipperier than veterans who had spent decades in the industry—completely unreadable.
The CEO clicked his tongue quietly in annoyance.
"Min Jiheon is a variety rookie, and the management team requested someone to cover for him. Otherwise, he'll just get edited out of everything."
"And that someone is me?"
"You've filmed a drama with him, and done variety shows together too."
There was clearly more to the story.
Seo Hoyun said he'd think about it and left the office.
Then, he immediately sent a text.
[Me: What is this?]
But Min Jiheon didn't respond.
'What the hell is with this guy?'
It was a major broadcast variety show and not a bad opportunity for The Dawn either.
However, deciding on the appearance wasn't easy—lately, his body had been acting up.
Compared to their busiest days, the current schedule was lighter, and he was getting plenty of rest, but he still kept getting nosebleeds or feeling generally sick.
He avoided live broadcasts as much as possible, worried that fans might notice, and instead only appeared in edited videos.
[Dajun's Clumsy Vlog Editing Episode]
The most recent time Seo Hoyun had appeared was in a vlog that Jeong Dajun had self-filmed.
[He didn't have to put Dajun's name in the title…
The word "Clumsy" alone already screams Jeong Dajun's vlog lol]
[LMAOOOO Jeong Dajun really gives "clumsy, confused, teehee~" vibes]
"—Europe was just so beautiful!! Maybe it's because it was my first time going, but wow, the sunset skies over there were absolutely stunning! Just like here, but… I really wanted to show Noeul, so I worked really hard filming everything! I think I've got some talent in this, so I might release a domestic version someday! Also…"
Jeong Dajun's mouth didn't stop moving.
Eventually, the video had to be fast-forwarded at 3x speed. A black screen popped up with an apology message.
> [We wanted to include all of Jeong Dajun's beautiful words,
but it would've turned into a 10-hour art film, so please understand the edits.]
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
[Dajun, the subtitles can't keep up with your speech]
[He's like a five-year-old cousin visiting during the holidays…]
[The new top of Korean hip hop…
Yet doesn't even faze strict Kang Ichae
└Kang Ichae: ㅇㅅㅇ scribbles noseㅋ]
[The content is adorable
Jeong Dajun really lives up to his name
He gives all his affection—
You sunshine marshmallow ㅜ]
Appearing again on screen, Jeong Dajun winked at the camera.
"Look forward to it, okay?!"
A subtitle appeared over a black screen:
[And the result of Dajun's efforts is—?]
Chaotic camera work.
Subtitles that were always a beat late.
Randomly inserted animation effects.
Over-the-top background music.
[At least he tried...]
The result was a disaster.
> [Is this filmed from a retriever's POV or something?
└LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
> [So the fan song video was edited that well, huh ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
> [Come back, Jeong Dajun, who wants to edit a Europe vlog..
You're cute, but maybe just stick to dancing
└LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
Just after finishing practice and dropping by the planning team office, Kim Seonghyeon and Seo Hoyun spotted Jeong Dajun immersed in his editing.
The three of them crowded around one computer, staring intently at the monitor.
> [These guys lol they're just too cute together, it's so naturalㅜㅜㅜㅜ]
> [Register yourselves as a family already
And add me too—as Kim Seonghyeon's wife]
Seo Hoyun, casually chewing on candy, was just watching with little interest at first, until—
"…What is this?"
His expression hardened noticeably as he saw Jeong Dajun's editing skills on full display.
"Attempts are always admirable."
Unable to keep watching, Seo Hoyun opted to just close his eyes.
"…Truly admirable."
> [Look at Seo Hoyun pretending not to see lol]
> [That face is screaming "the result is all that matters,"
but he's holding back in front of the fans]
Had the camera not been rolling, Seo Hoyun would've roasted the youngest member already.
But too tired to keep watching, he patted Kim Seonghyeon's shoulder and was about to head out when—
"Seo Hoyun-ssi, want to give it a try?"
Lee Jihyun suddenly challenged him.
"I was going to eat and get back to practice with Seonghyeon."
"Come on, 30 minutes won't hurt!"
"Hyung hyung, can't you do this for me? I've been really into this YouTuber lately!"
Seeing the aesthetic vlog packed with warm feelings, Seo Hoyun immediately understood what kind of vibe Jeong Dajun was aiming for. But he only frowned and scratched his nose bridge.
Then Jeong Dajun started teasing him with a smug grin.
"Hyung, are you scared you'll be worse than me in front of Noeul?!"
"..."
"Is this what they call... chicken out~?!"
Learned all the bad things from Kang Ichae, huh.
Letting out a sigh and mentally bookmarking a flick to Dajun's forehead, Seo Hoyun nudged him and motioned with his chin.
"…Fine. Ten minutes."
After saving Dajun's original edit, he reopened the file and skimmed through it, then quickly pressed a few shortcut keys.
From the side, Kim Seonghyeon and Jeong Dajun threw jabs like, "Bet it'll look just as bad," and "Let's see what he can even do," but Seo Hoyun didn't respond.
As a staff member in the planning team, Lee Jihyun could tell from his minimal yet efficient movements—this was no ordinary level.
'Wait, what is this…?'
With only the bare minimum of clicks and typing, Seo Hoyun hit Export and stood up without even checking the result.
"Seonghyeon, let's go."
Left behind, Jeong Dajun and Lee Jihyun clicked on the rendered ten-minute video and—
"…What the hell?"
Their eyes widened.
The screen faded to black again.
> [Here is the opening vlog video edited by Seo Hoyun in ten minutes.]
Morning light reflected off a river, the shimmering surface glowing red.
> [In Berlin]
Thick bacon sizzled on the pan, and golden toast topped with soft-boiled eggs filled the screen.
The scene changed again—this time to Seong Jiwon flipping through an English book in a German bookstore.
> [What… the heck…]
Noeul was completely stunned.
> [Seriously, what was that?]
[Just a second ago it was retriever POV, now it's straight-up Notting Hill??]
[Wait, was I at that bookstore with Jiwon that day??]
Even after the video ended, fans were still in shock.
> [Seo Hoyun's soft girl aesthetic is insane]
[What is up with this idol… Like some YouTuber with 270k subs who I wanted to gatekeep but is suddenly blowing up…]
[Sure, he's the guy who hunted for soondae gukbap in Europe,
└Wasn't it soondubu jjigae?
└└Testified by Kang Ichae
└└He's such a damn fake lol...]
> [Hoyun should just film a soondae gukbap mukbang vlog lol]
Though it was supposed to be Dajun's Clumsy Vlog Editing Adventure, the top comment on the YouTube video became:
> "Even if Seo Hoyun filmed a soondae gukbap mukbang, he'd somehow turn it into an aesthetic European vlog."
Seeing that, Lee Jihyun's eyes lit up, and she called Seo Hoyun back immediately.
Seo Hoyun, who was looking paler than usual for some reason, squinted his eyes drowsily and said,
"…Huh? Soondae-gukbap?"
"Yes. A soondae-gukbap vlog."
"…Do the Noeuls really want to see something like that?"
Did fans seriously want to watch their favorite idol eating soondae-gukbap dressed up like it was some aesthetically shot vlog?
"…Well, alright then."
But Seo Hoyun accepted the suggestion.
His belief was simple: if the Noeuls asked for it, he'd do it—no matter what.
[And so, Seo Hoyun really filmed it that evening and edited it himself.]
This time, the video was a bit longer than the vlog opening he edited before.
With soft background music playing, the camera panned steadily over a menu showing items like "Soondae Soup," "Soondae Hot Pot," "Add Vegetables," and "Extra Noodles."
The side dishes were neatly arranged, the chopsticks and spoon perfectly aligned, and Kim Seonghyeon sat in reverent silence, dressed in a red apron, waiting for his soondae-gukbap.
[Soondae-Gukbap VLOG]
Even the English title matched the emotional tone.
[LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL]
[These guys are unhinged ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Fans burst out laughing, saying Seo "Ddokkaeng" had done it again.
[Extra: Yachae-sari (vegetables)]
[One more Soondae]
Subtitles Seo Hoyun had painstakingly added began to appear:
[Today, I came to eat with Seonghyeon.]
[He said he was amazed at how cool my dancing was.]
"Hey, Seo Hoyun."
"Mm?"
[Why does he only use subtitles instead of just saying it out loud lol
Why does he know so much about vlogging]
At the bottom of the frame, Seo Hoyun's hand was seen mixing rice into the soup and carefully sprinkling black pepper.
"I'm getting better, but… why does it feel so slow? What more can I even do?"
[The leader is praising his student's growth.]
[Uh, the audio and the subtitles don't match tho]
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
"Seonghyeon, I appreciate it, but you really don't need to do more."
"What?"
"Just breathing makes you lovable."
"Can I please just eat?! Just let me eat!!"
Kim Seonghyeon threw down his spoon in frustration.
[Seonghyeon gets flustered very easily.]
Even though the words weren't compliments at all, the screen displayed subtitles like "Beautiful progress" and "I'll be an even harder-working Hoyun."
[Seo Hoyun is totally addicted to teasing Kim Seonghyeon now…
But honestly, I love it too ㅎ
└LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
> [You could just show me your face and I'd be happy, but now you're funny too? It's too much]
With about a minute left, the camera switched to a self-cam shot of Seo Hoyun.
He looked barefaced, yet his skin was so pale it almost looked bluish—pure and soft, giving him a wistful, serene aura.
[Noeuls, thank you for watching.]
[You've worked hard today. I hope your days are always filled with nothing but smiles and happiness.]
He smiled with his eyes and awkwardly waved, like someone not used to being on self-cam.
Then, the words "The End" appeared, and the video ended.
[How about Seo Hoyun, the man who truly understands supply and demand
He makes us laugh the whole time and finishes with his face. What a terrifying idol
└Living proof of why he's popular
Even if his ending message sounds like something my aunt would text during Lunar New Year
└LOL I'm crying]
[Pop-pop (nickname for Hoyun) is honestly such a gift… plus… ㅜ]
> "Noeuls, be happy."
"Have strength today too."
"I'll always be cheering you on!"
← Seo Hoyun's signature three-beat daily comment—so cute it's driving me crazy...
└ Seo Hoyun is guiltyㅠㅠ!!!
Noeuls were always confused.
Was Seo Hoyun actually a good person, or not?
Anyone who's ever truly stanned someone—or loved someone—knows this: when all your attention and focus are directed toward the one you adore, you can't help but understand them deeply.
You come to know what kind of person they really are.
So even the Noeuls, despite their love for Seo Hoyun, often thought, "He must have one hell of a personality."
After all, even overseas, word of his personality had started to quietly spread.
> [Is he the epitome of the K-style "bad boy"? But he's so sweet to the Noeuls! (laughing emoji)]
[I don't know what the other members think though (ROFL) (ROFL)]
[Is it true he's called an angel in Japan? Are we sure that angel isn't Lucifer? HAHA]
Korean fans were astonished reading comments like these.
> [Foreign Noeuls really go hard with the moe-ification lol
They're calling Seo Ho-kkyung Lucifer
└Same difference between a bunny and Lucifer tbh
└└LOLㅠ okay that one hit hard]
While fans gossiped about how it's fine as long as there's no scandal and he treats them well, rumors started spreading about Seo Hoyun appearing in a variety show with Min Jiheon.
> [Is Seo Hoyun really gonna be on a variety show with Min Jiheon??]
It was just a rumor, yet people were already in an uproar.
> [What?? Just Seo Hoyun?]
[Why..? Does Min Jiheon not have friends either, like Joo Wooseong?
I thought at least Jiheon had some connections]
> ["Please Film Me"...? Then shouldn't Yoo Jia be there too?]
Especially fired up were the handful of fans who still hadn't let go of the drama "Please Film Me" even a year after it aired.
> [How do you like a drama that's still giving us content a year later]
[Please, just once—let Seo Hoyun go full method as PD Lee Junghoon againㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Feels like he genuinely liked the role of Seo Hoyun lol]
The idea of a famous actor being close with your bias idol wasn't a bad thing for Noeuls at all.
And then—
[OMG, The Dawn confirmed for Jelly Revolution appearance!!]
News broke on a YouTube channel run by a popular idol/actor interviewer that The Dawn would appear on Jelly Revolution.
[Ahhh apparently someone dropped out last-minute, so The Dawn's filling in LOL I trust this show to be good. I'm just happy to see Hoyun again ㅜㅜ]
But the Noeuls didn't know what was coming.
[EP.184 — Could It Be Madness? Even The Dawn? (Preview Clip)]
That short preview clip on YouTube turned out to be... absolute chaos.