YouTube and social media, as well as reels like TikTok.
These days, as the mainstream gradually shifts,
the boundary between an idol’s active and inactive periods was becoming increasingly blurred.
For example, during their inactive periods, idol groups would upload various kinds of live content (YouTube, Instagram, and the WE app).
> SAVEN Harang I am the ‘god’ of YouTube Live.
> SAVEN Chaelin The spring rain is pouring down (Chaelin’s First YouTube Live)
Behind-the-scenes videos of their activities, rehearsals, and commercial shoots.
> [SAVEN IN HIND] ‘Unsatisfied’ First Week Behind-the-Scenes #2
> [SAVEN IN HIND] SAVEN 2nd Single Album ‘Day dream’ Title MV Shoot Sketch
> [SAVEN IN HIND] SAVEN LEEDOHEE X FCND Commercial Shoot
Or even self-produced content.
By uploading all kinds of videos, they worked to strengthen the foundation of their fandom
and prevent fans from drifting away during inactive periods.
Their efforts did not go unrewarded. Fans would watch the behind-the-scenes and live videos uploaded roughly once every three days, using them to soothe their thirst during the inactive period.
But the videos fans wanted most were self-produced content.
—Are the kids not going to put out any self-produced content?
The reason fans preferred self-produced content was simple.
For one thing, the videos were generally longer than the others.
And programs modeled after variety shows, where the members laughed and chatted together, were simply a lot of fun.
—Shock Entertainment, get to work.
—Please upload some self-produced contentㅠㅠ
However, SAVEN’s self-produced content showed no signs of being uploaded anytime soon.
The fans actually knew why.
- - - -
There had been no inactive period in which to produce self-produced content since the survival show.
—Can’t be helped. Be satisfied with the lives and behind-the-scenes videos.
└Where else would you get two or three uploads a week...
└No...
And even if they made one during this inactive period, it was obvious that it would not be uploaded until the next promotion—or perhaps the inactive period after that.
—There’s not enough food...
Knowing and understanding the reason did not make their disappointment go away.
Amid all that, a video was uploaded to SAVEN’s YouTube channel.
> [SUB] ☆Kwon Hana’s Solo Variety Show☆ Does Hana Do Everything? | [What Is Hana Doing Today] Teaser
It was inevitable that the fans’ attention would be drawn to it.
***
A small spoiler from the teaser.
Hana was having a preliminary meeting with the production staff.
[PD: Hana, what do you want to do?]
[Hana: Hmm... Have a drink with a guest?]
[PD: That’s possible too...]
[Hana: Subscribe, like, and turn on notifications! See you every Thursday at six p.m. starting May 4!]
The college student was filled with anticipation.
‘I really can’t wait.’
She had been planning to watch eagerly even if Hana was the only one appearing.
[Hana: To give you a spoiler, the first guest is a trending idol...!?]
‘That obviously means the other members are going to appear too.’
The other fans seemed to have the same thought.
[What Is Hana Doing Today]
Subscribers: 51,000
Even though the only video uploaded was the teaser, the channel had already surpassed fifty thousand subscribers.
And finally, today.
[SUB] Is Hana Doing a Talk Today? (Feat. the Maknae Line) | [What Is Hana Doing Today] Episode 1
The college student clicked on the video with considerable anticipation.
A wooden house filled with natural light.
Hana sat at a sunlit dining table, posing in an apron decorated with cute characters.
[Hana: Hello. What Is Hana Doing Today. This is Hana’s touching first episode, right?]
Various cooking utensils were arranged beside the table.
Cozy decorative items filled the space.
Overall, the interior was vintage, quaint, and charming.
[Hana: Actually, Hana... Ah, PD. Do I really have to keep referring to myself in the third person? I’m rather charismatic to the members, you know.]
And then there was Hana’s gentle voice.
For now, it felt less like a variety show and more like a relaxing, healing program.
[Hana: Anyway, I, Kwon Hana, haven’t decided what we’re going to do today.]
Hana picked up the spatula beside her and mimed along with the things she went on to say.
[Hana: Of course, there’s a lot we could do—talking with Hana, exercising with Hana, working with Hana, cooking with Hana.]
Hana set the spatula down on the table and pointed toward the room beside them with her fingertip.
[Hana: Still, what should a SAVEN member do? I should play with our babies.]
The screen showed Dohi and Yeeun lying on a blanket spread across the floor of the adjoining room.
[Hana: Today, I’m going to chat with the kids and cook for them.]
Hana then entered the room.
She seemed to have expected the two of them to be sitting at the low table and was taken aback when she found them lying down instead.
[Hana: What? Why are you two lying down?]
Dohi, who had been sprawled out flat on her back, lazily waved at the camera.
[Dohi: Yes, I’m Dohi.]
The shameless yet adorable sight naturally brought a smile to the college student’s lips.
[Yeeun: Oh...! I’m Yeeun!]
Yeeun sprang to her feet.
By contrast, Dohi continued to dawdle around.
[Dohi: Apparently, a relaxed atmosphere is all the rage these days. I’m sacrificing my image for your YouTube channel, so I hope you’ll appreciate it.]
[Yeeun: Hana... Dohi just, just! She forced me to lie down...]
[Hana: No, it’s fine. It seems fun. Should we keep doing lying-down broadcasts like this, just like Dohi suggested? It would be fun to lie down and greet every guest whenever they came.]
“It really is a reality show.”
Was it truly this raw and unscripted?
Hana was even coming up with the plot while they were filming.
[Dohi: I don’t know about that. Give me food. I’m hungry.]
Unlike Hana’s serious expression as she pondered the matter, Dohi rolled around energetically while clutching a pillow. Laughter from the production staff could be heard beyond the screen.
The college student burst out laughing as well.
[Hana: My cute little maknae. I spoiled you too much, didn’t I?]
[Dohi: Not at all. You’re always scolding me, so what do you mean? You make me exercise by force every day even when I haven’t done anything wrong. Right, Yeeun?]
The production staff’s laughter grew louder and louder.
[Yeeun: ...No.]
[Dohi: ...?]
Suddenly, the screen went black.
[Let’s do exactly three sets of planks, then eat!]
[No! I was only joking around on purpose so your show would do well! So it would be fun...! Right...?]
Dohi’s frantic voice could be heard.
[...PD! You said we were going to have a talk show while eating today! You might not know this, but Hana made me stay late to work out even after practice yesterday! I’m seriously not exaggerating—I’m dying right now! I only lay down today because my whole body is sore from the muscle pain and everything!]
A sound that was probably the PD’s voice was recorded as well.
It sounded as though someone was desperately trying to hold back snickers.
[W-Why me...? I didn’t say anything!]
And then came the tearful voice that belonged exclusively to Yeeun.
Whether because it was cute, funny, or simply beautiful,
the corners of the viewer’s mouth never once dropped throughout the video.
It looked like the show was going to be a hit.
***
Hana kept sneaking glances at the YouTube view count on her phone.
Then she muttered,
“Guys, is this doing well?”
Chaelin answered her.
“Unnie. Please stop now.”
“Whyyy~”
[SUB] Is Hana Doing a Talk Today? (Feat. the Maknae Line) | [What Is Hana Doing Today] Episode 1 — 790,000 views • 5 days ago
For a solo channel,
considering this was only Episode 1, it was usually difficult to surpass three or four hundred thousand views with only the fans watching.
The same was true even for famous groups.
The exception would be global groups like Coral Blue.
Their YouTube channel alone had nearly a hundred million subscribers.
At any rate, surpassing three or four hundred thousand views by such a wide margin was obviously an excellent result.
It had even been included among the trending videos.
The number of new subscribers was high as well.
“It’s doing well. I said it’s doing well. How many times do I have to tell you?”
Chaelin, whose laziness was even worse than mine, had already been forced to say it more than five times.
Hana was that excited.
“You should be grateful to me, you know.”
“Of course~ It did well because our maknae appeared~”
Her point was slightly off, but still.
“Phew, I heard we applied for the Silver Play Button. When’s it going to arrive~?”
It was enough that Hana was happy.
“More importantly, Dohi, did you hear...?”
Sera, who was clinging to her, chattered beside us.
“That?”
“Yeah! Season four of Jeodol.”
‘So they’re really doing it after all.’
Well, it would have been stranger if they didn’t.
We had done so well that there was no way they wouldn’t make another season.
More than anything, survival shows were provocative, so it was bound to work again this time.
“Has it really been almost a year already?”
Harang reminisced as if recalling the past.
“It was fun, though. I kind of want to film it again, too.”
A year had already passed since the first recording.
It was only natural for nostalgia to embellish the memories.
“The place where the cosmic superstar... Yeeun... made her entrance...”
...?
Of course, there was still someone who absolutely hated it.
“When I think about how the debut team fell apart in just one day because of that... Phew. Still, I’m glad it brought all of us together.”
“Except for you, unnie.”
“Yeah~ I’m excluding you too~”
“Yeah~ I’m first in line~”
“Yeah~ I’ve hated it since our Top East days~”
Anyway, the news about Jeodol was not limited to its broadcast.
“You all know they’re launching the new season of Jeodol 4 this time, right?”
Our manager cautiously broached the subject.
“Of course.”
“So... I think we’re going to have to appear on it at least once.”
It had been decided by the higher-ups, by the parent company.
It was not a suggestion but a certainty.
“Ah... We’re promoting again next month...”
At my words, the manager fidgeted anxiously.
“Dohi, is it too hard for you? If it’s really too much, tell me. It might not be that important, so I’ll try talking to them.”
Despite being a manager with the authority of a team leader—in practice, almost that of a department head—he was so gentle that I sometimes felt sorry for him.
“Come on~ It’s still work. Of course I have to do it.”
More than anything, although I pretended to find it bothersome on the outside,
“It’s a relief that you’re so mature, Dohi. But if it ever gets too hard, tell me, okay? You know that’s what a manager is for, right?”
The contestants of Season 4?
They were all my juniors, weren’t they?
“Yes, thank you. I’ll be sure to tell you!”
The person who would appear before them.
‘The first-place winner of Jeodol Season 3, Lee Dohi...?’
What should I do...?
I was fucking excited.
“Dohi’s expression is kind of cute...”
“You think that’s cute? She’s obviously thinking about something else.”
“Heehee... The cosmic superstar Yeeun is making her entrance...”