Chapter 122
[So, I watched the music video, and I noticed that Raon was the only one with an unusual hair color. Honestly, it was quite striking that On Raon did that, but each member is really holding their own visually. God-tier looks!]
┗ [Anyway, I’m curious why Raon is the one signaling the time of liberation. Also, why did they have to include ‘winter’ after ‘time of liberation’?]
┗ [(GIF) In the last scene of the teaser, Raon closes his eyes amidst a snowstorm. But in the actual music video, it’s a scene of him opening his eyes. The strange whispering sound that accompanies the snowstorm also caught my attention. I think the teaser might be a reversed part of the music video, so I played it back.]
┗ [(Video) Waited too long for fragile youth.]
┗ [This can only be seen as a warning from the winter to the members. The harsh season of winter wouldn’t warmly welcome something fragile. Raon = Winter (not a company senior) Raon opening his eyes = Winter opening its eyes.]
(Part omitted)
┗ [The fact that ‘Liberation’ was released during the college entrance exam season also influences its interpretation. Adults endlessly tell high schoolers that everything will be great once the exams are over, and the students believe it. But in reality, once the exams end, the protection afforded to minors and students nearly ends too.]
┗ [Sure, students are liberated from their long-standing oppressions once the exams are over, but beyond that, society begins to approach them relentlessly. Like many things, the college entrance exam or university is not the end but just another beginning.]
┗ [This is similar to idol trainees’ debuts. Just like audition programs where debut is the grand prize, trainees strive for debut, but in reality, debut is just the beginning for an idol. Debut ≠ Success.]
(Part omitted)
┗ [But that doesn’t mean winter only symbolizes negativity. Winter is a season of preparation for new life. If we see winter as society, the members can become beings who can achieve anything within it.]
┗ [Therefore, I think ‘Liberation’ is the perfect debut song for rookies. It seems like a statement that the members are prepared for what lies ahead. It’s much cooler than pretending to be tough.]
┗ [(Video) Actually, the ‘Liberation’ music video is incredibly simple and straightforward without any need for interpretation. You can feel that a small company did their best with limited resources. And here we are, dissecting and analyzing a simple 3 minutes and 38 seconds video for over 3 hours, being nerds…]
┗ [(Video) Enough chatter. Since it’s highly retweeted, everyone, enjoy a bowl of the best K-pop of the college entrance exam season, mark ‘Liberation.’ The song is great. Trust and listen to Sky Jung! That guy with white hair!]
The reactions to the stage video uploaded after the showcase were also positive.
[Today’s acapella showcase, rookie idol wins with an acapella performance]
– Wow, they sang Rosetta’s song in the original key? And after crying just 10 seconds ago?
– Amazing at their main job, not to mention the dancing… Kang Ji-woo is easily among the top three talents missed by SSG.
– I watched the full video, and On Raon nailed it too. It could’ve been a bit of a downer if not done right (not criticizing Kang Ji-woo, it’s understandable to cry after being a trainee for 8 years).
┗ ㅁㅈ. The members’ chemistry and sense to keep the energy up were great.
– I can’t wait for their concert. Will it be next year?
After the opening, the official cafe, which had been quiet, suddenly had numerous posts from the members with selfies.
[Ji-woo｜The singing Ji-woo is here, even while crying^^]
[Seong-ha｜Today, we debuted]
[Yo-han｜Miss you already, sleep tightㅎㅎ]
[Gyeol｜Hello, I’m Gyeol from ORCA]
[Raon｜OnRaonRaon is doing super well right now, how about you!!?]
Having successfully completed the debut showcase, it was now time to officially start our music show promotions.
Our debut stage on a music show would be on ‘Music Round’ by SBM, the broadcaster that filmed ‘Get to Know ORCA,’ the very next day, Friday.
While other places only allowed the performance of ‘Liberation,’ Music Round, perhaps out of loyalty from filming the reality show, allowed us to perform two songs, including ‘Fantasy Garden,’ a track from our album.
* * *
After the showcase, we barely managed to shower and collapsed into sleep at the dorm.
Gwak Sang-hyun told us that the families of the other members who came to see the showcase just went back without seeing us to let us rest more.
However, we didn’t sleep much before Gwak Sang-hyun came to wake us in the middle of the night.
‘Did I sleep for three or four hours?’
Trying to recover my energy, I drifted in and out of sleep until I finally woke up to find myself in the waiting room of Music Round, separated into spaces for each group.
‘Ah, I’m already exhausted….’
My stomach churned.
The grueling music show schedule had only just begun, but my energy was already running low.
Socializing with other groups during music shows? No way.
I was struggling to take care of my own body.
Thinking back to the Pick Heart days when I would struggle for days after a single performance, I realized I was doing quite well.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but I remembered we did a solid dry rehearsal without exhausting ourselves too much.
I recalled the surprised expressions of other idol groups waiting for their turn when we came down from the stage.
They must have heard our live sound through their in-ear monitors.
‘We did pretty well.’
Especially Kang Ji-woo, who belted out high notes as if his throat didn’t even know it was morning, and Seo Moon-gyeol, who performed impressively despite his slightly hoarse voice.
Of course, myself, Gyun Seong-ha, and Ban Yo-han did our parts well too.
Thanks to the extreme training by Joo Yeol-eum.
The music show staff even suggested increasing the volume of the AR close to the MR level since any mistakes would be noticeable.
It felt good to be recognized, but it was a bit disappointing.
This is why humans are fickle.
“Yawn…”
As I was yawning lazily, Gyun Seong-ha, who was fully dressed up, pulled me up from the mat I had laid on the floor due to the lack of proper resting places.
“Wake up now. It’s your turn.”
Ban Yo-han, ready to go on stage, was just getting up.
I grabbed my phone from the mat and sat in front of the vanity.
“Please take care of me….”
The staff, who seemed equally tired, acknowledged my sleepy greeting with a faint smile and began doing my makeup after tying up my bangs with a rubber band.
I moved my hands and eyes mechanically and checked the music charts out of habit.
[35. Liberation (Winter) – ORCA]
Perhaps because it was still early, Liberation, released yesterday, was holding steady in the upper half of the charts.
Despite my resolve to stop checking the rankings, I found myself doing it every hour, except when I was sleeping.
After all, Koreans care about results, don’t they?
“Raon, you’re all set.”
The hair designer, who had been working on my hair for a while, lightly shook me awake from my inevitable drowsiness.
When I looked in the mirror, the previously disheveled white hair was now perfectly neat and tidy.
With all preparations complete, we moved to the pre-recording, commonly known as a pre-recorded performance.
“How many of our fans came?”
“Around 350.”
Gwak Sang-hyun answered Kang Ji-woo’s question.
I had heard that rookie groups like us usually do joint pre-recordings with one or two other groups, but surprisingly, we had a solo pre-recording session.
Starting from the reality show, it seemed like our company had some sort of connection with this broadcaster.
* * *
Even though it was the early hours before dawn, fans who came to see ORCA held temporary cheering sticks handed out by the fan manager since it was our first public broadcast. Many of them also brought the ones they bought yesterday at the showcase, holding two each.
At that moment, ORCA, shaking off fatigue through the self-hypnosis of “I am an idol,” made their appearance.
The members wore large name tags for the final rehearsal before the main stage filming.
“Let’s greet them!”
“On and on, ORCA! We will do our best!”
ORCA, brimming with enthusiasm, gave a collective greeting to the staff and fans before awkwardly approaching the fans. It was our first time facing them so closely.
There was some time before the staff finished their preparations, and we could chat with the fans during this period.
“Did everyone… get some sleep?”
On Raon, trying to start a conversation with the universally relevant topic of food, realized the current time and changed the subject mid-sentence, prompting dry laughter from the fans.
It wasn’t a time to talk about food.
It was a time when sleep was more important.
“Thank you for coming at this late, early hour.”
“Thank you.”
The five members bowed deeply in gratitude.
They also expressed their thanks for the high ranking of ‘Liberation’ on the music charts.
They thanked the fans for becoming fans and for listening to them so attentively…
There were so many things to be thankful for.
As we conveyed our gratitude, the members’ awkwardness in dealing with the fans started to dissipate.
Having expressed all our immediate gratitude, it was time to ask the questions we were curious about.
We asked how they got here at this hour, whether the weather was cold, and if they liked our song.
From that point on, the members, now fully awake, engaged in lively conversations that never stopped.
The atmosphere remained friendly and cheerful throughout.
“Everyone, have you memorized the cheer guide?”
During the showcase yesterday, the fans were so overwhelmed that they missed half of the cheer guide and could only manage to cheer enthusiastically.
“Yes! We practiced outside!”
While waiting outside, the fans had practiced the cheer guide in small voices, cramming it into their heads.
Ban Yo-han playfully said, “Then I’ll see if your voices are louder than Ji-woo’s later.”
At that moment, the staff signaled that they were ready.
“Recording will begin.”
ORCA, who had performed the rehearsal as if it were the real deal, made some final adjustments to their hair and makeup, removed their name tags, and immediately began the main recording.
By this time, On Raon had come to a clear realization.
‘If we do more than three live stages, at least I will die.’
The effects of the ‘Korean Willpower’ skill had already kicked in.
Thinking about the ‘Fantasy Garden’ pre-recording coming up later, it was necessary to finish in one go to conserve energy.
However, the possibility of mistakes couldn’t be ruled out, and if we finished in one go, the fans might be disappointed…
“Let’s finish it in two takes, like we did three.”
On Raon said quietly, so only the gathered members could hear.
“It’s not like it’s two servings that feel like three…”
Kang Ji-woo, the son of a restaurant owner, responded incredulously, but On Raon shamelessly replied that it was about giving the same satisfaction with two takes as with three.
Gyun Seong-ha admired how On Raon consistently made nonsense sound reasonable.