ALL NOVEL Chapter 84
Chapter 84. MIRO MAZE (2)
Finally, the broadcast time for the first episode of Miro Maze arrived.
Since it had been maintaining quite a buzz even before the broadcast, the anticipation was growing in various ways on the internet as the premiere approached.
[Miro Maze Episode 1 Live Discussion (157)]
[Where can I watch Miro Survival? (2)]
[Stop spamming and go to the live discussion thread (14)]
[Here comes my dopamine fix (3)]
“Wow, it’s already going crazy.”
Bluebird account name: Windy.
She, whose ultimate favorite was Dan Haru and second favorite was Kang Hajin, was more famous in the community by another name.
Nicknamed ‘That Cat Person.’
“Yes, everyone. Please watch our Haru and Hajin. They’re damn amazing.”
Windy was the one who had posted an eyewitness account of Taehyun and Hajin finding her friend’s cat, which had significantly boosted Miro Maze’s buzz.
Today, she planned to watch the historic first broadcast with her friend (the cat owner) who had eventually become a “chipping in” member because of this.
However, her friend’s cat was not feeling well today, and she had to stay by its side, so Windy ended up watching the broadcast alone.
‘But I’m not lonely.’
Having one live discussion thread open and Bluebird feed running, she could have a richer and more enjoyable first broadcast viewing than anyone else!
– So, who do you think is the teaser ending guy? LOL
└ ㄱㅎㅈ
└ Looked like Kang Hajin to me, LOL
└ Someone posted a screenshot on Bluebird, it’s him.
– But what did they do to get the Miro Escape? LOL
└ Right, LOL, why isn’t anyone questioning this?
– I’m curious about how the teams were divided too… ha… is it 9 o’clock yet?
– Our clock at home should be smart enough to pretend it’s 9 o’clock by now;
From recommending late-night snacks to promoting their favorite picks, various comments were posted in sequence, and soon it was 9 o’clock.
– It’s starting, it’s starting
– Will the truth of the great maze finally be revealed?
– If any Enderway members appear, will someone kind-hearted alert me…
└ Okay, okay
– Wow, Shin Yeram looks so pretty in the commercial, is it real?
– The commercials are intense…what’s up with Shin Yeram?
– Wow, expensive ads are airing, LOL
After the tedious commercials, the title of Miro Maze appeared. After the age warning, what was visible was a flashy but empty stage.
-Um…. When I first debuted.
A low voice like in a cave sounded as the scene transitioned. Naturally, those watching the first broadcast together saw a familiar face.
– Oh, it’s Yoon Jinu
– It’s Yoon Jinu
– Jinu’s face got more tanned… did he enjoy an amazing vacation…
└ He said he went to Africa for volunteer work and mistakenly used body lotion instead of sunscreen.
-I just trusted the members and went, back then.
Starting with Yoon Jinu, who spoke with an awkward smile, interviews with Utopia and Enderway members flashed by quickly.
-There’s this underground practice room? We called it mud because it was so damp, and you couldn’t get out once you went in.
-I think just being able to release another album was great. Being able to showcase our music one more time.
-If I ever get juniors, I’ll really take good care of them. Really, really take good care of them.
The heartwarming growth stories of Utopia and Enderway were quickly edited together with their fan songs as background music.
As viewers were getting immersed in the emotional segment, the production team asked a question.
Then, Enderway’s center, Choi Yeonwoo, looked at the camera with a somewhat sinister smile.
‘Indeed, he’s quite handsome. He has that arrogant crown prince vibe.’
The arrogant crown prince said.
-Um. Junior trainees.
-I don’t know who will debut in the end.
-Be prepared.
-Surviving as a boy group in the maze isn’t easy.
Not easy, not easy, not easy….
As the last statement echoed with a slow effect, the previously serious and moving screen flipped.
Bbam, bbam, bbaaaam―.
With an unnecessarily grand BGM, the screen zoomed in on a trainee’s incredulous expression.
– Oh, it’s Seo Taehyun, LOL
– Seo Taehyun, LOL
– Why does Taehyun’s face look like that, LOL
– Oh, no way, LOL
With an expression soon to be captured and used by netizens as a meme to counter trolling, Seo Taehyun spoke in a ridiculous tone.
-What is this…?
A long zoom-out revealed an aerial view.
The grand maze set, teased in the previews, was fully revealed on screen.
With a crashing sound effect, the captions, unnecessarily beautifully designed, were displayed.
– Is that maze really a maze, LOL
– The production team is crazy, LOL
– Maze… Maze… Maze… Maze collapse incoming
– Why did they make the maze so big, LOL
– They were supposed to debut from the maze, not escape from it, LOL
As the comments exploded, the screen transitioned.
Under the bright weather, an insert of the new Miro office appeared with the caption <20XX March 1st 14:00 / Miro ENT> typed in like an effect.
– It’s coming, it’s coming.
– The trainees are coming. Hide! Hide!
The camera, watching the entrance, suddenly shook. Soon, various angle cameras, shown like CCTVs, caught the trainees entering. CG profiles of the trainees were briefly shown for introduction.
‘Gasp. It’s Hajin.’
Windy held her breath upon spotting her second favorite on screen.
‘Thank goodness. At least he doesn’t look completely off on camera.’
Knowing Hajin’s actual appearance, Windy had been shocked by his concept photos, but she was relieved that his broadcast appearance wasn’t much different from reality.
– Gosh, it seems like they really didn’t know they were being filmed, LOL
└ Um, it’s all staged, LOL, can’t believe people buy this
└ But seeing there are no mics, it seems like they really just filmed them?
└ These days, they hide mics inside clothes, LOL
– Wow, oppa’s casual wear suits him so much, knit with a coat, awesome
On screen, the trainees, after being instructed to go to the fifth floor, looked confused after getting off the elevator.
With walls blocking all sides and suddenly being told to enter a door by a monitor, the surprised reactions of the trainees were priceless.
As befitting a survival show by an entertainment company, instead of editing for provocative fun, the focus was on engraving the individual characters and charms of the trainees.
-Where… where to… ㅠㅠ
-Hello there, hi, is anyone there?
-Um. Ugh ㅠㅜㅜㅜ
-Hyung, is this it?
-Gasp, I think this is it! This is it!
-No! (Urgently!!) That’s just the set!! It’s not that!!!! Come down!!!!!!
The reactions of the trainees, filled with cute sound effects and CG effects, were quite popular.
– Why are they trying to open the monitor when they’re told to open the door, LOL
– Ha, Seo Taehyun stopping the younger ones from dismantling the set wall is hilarious, LOL
– But where do they go, LOL? There’s no door
– The trainees are so cute, looking at them after Utopia and Enderway, they really seem like chicks
However, the explosive reaction came from the next scene.
-Starting without even a mic…?
-No script reading, no prior meeting? No de-branding at all, and starting like this?
Kang Hajin’s face, looking flabbergasted to the point of being despondent, contrasted sharply with Lee Doha standing beside him, calmly reading the words.
– LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL
– LOL, oh please, LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL
– Whoever said it was all scripted, come out…
– He looks so unfair and dumbfounded that it makes me want to cry for him ㅠ Why did the production team do this
– Lee Doha’s reaction is also hilarious, ah, Kang Hajin’s rapid-fire talk makes him blink and stare, LOL
– Doha-Hajin combo is good, LOL
“What, this oppa’s got quite the personality, huh?”
Although slightly different from the atmosphere when they met that day, this side was also charming. In fact, his unexpected remarks and tone made him feel more approachable.
Watching the broadcast on TV and editing the video cut of Haru and Eunchan trying to dismantle the set wall on her phone, Windy thought.
“Where is the door then?”
As if understanding the viewers’ minds, Hajin and Doha’s gazes on screen turned somewhere.
-…Could it be?
Cuts showing other trainees noticing the elevator also appeared. The scenes of trainees re-entering the elevator and deducing their next destination flashed by quickly
.
Once again, the final angle shown was Doha and Hajin’s.
And finally, the phrase everyone was curious about appeared.
-But we don’t know which floor to go to.
-Should we go back to the first floor?
As Doha asked Hajin for his opinion, the screen meaningfully focused on the monitor’s instructions and Hajin’s thoughtful face.
-No, we should go up.
-It says to reach the sun.
– Ah, please, that’s definitely Kang Hajin
– What’s with Doha and Hajin suddenly having a noir film atmosphere?
– OMG, OMG, OMG, someone please make a meme of Hajin smiling just now
– Why is oppa suddenly giving a dashing hero-like smile, did he just charm me?!
– So, is the ending guy confirmed to be Kang Hajin?????
└ No, we don’t know yet
└ No, it’s just image cuts shot for the teaser, LOL
└ ???: No script reading, no prior meeting????
└ That was for that scene, the teaser ending is just an image cut;
└ It could be real, but why do you keep pushing the script and image cut agenda… just watch and see
└ It’s all staged, but Hajin’s fans keep insisting it’s him, annoying
└ Yeah, looking at the wording, it’s obvious where you’re from… just report this guy, he’s a troll
└ What troll, LOL, Hajin’s fans keep linking him with Seo Taehyun, acting like big shots, LOL, everything is Hajin? Are there no other trainees in Miro??? And why would they push Hajin when they could push Seo Taehyun, LOL
└ This guy is one of those who pretended to be a Seo Taehyun fan and caused trouble in the fandom… just ignore him; his wording is really bad
└ But the production team seems to be pushing Hajin a lot? Look at the screen time he gets
└ His lines are great, I’d give him screen time too
– Wow, but the production team is smart, it really feels like an escape room, LOL, never expected the elevator
‘Ah, trolls are already here.’
Since there had been a lot of buzz about Hajin even before the broadcast, some malicious fans of other trainees or those who disliked Hajin often trolled like this.
Their recent repertoire was to claim everything Hajin did in teasers or pre-releases was scripted or predetermined, thus trying to bring him down.
‘Honestly, I think the teaser ending is just an image cut too….’
In fact, she didn’t care if the teaser ending scene was an image cut or if it was another trainee instead of Hajin. But she did want to flatten the noses of trolls who acted like they knew everything.
‘But who would be crazy enough to jump over the maze set during the broadcast?’
Windy continued watching, half-believing and half-doubting.
If no one jumped over the maze wall today….
‘My head’s already spinning, really,’
A small worry sprouted in her mind, thinking she would be mocked by trolls and malicious fans of other trainees for a while.