The news of the theme song *Survival 100*’s release made the already-buzzing media burn even hotter, as if proving the destructive power of *Geubaekpeu*, whose ratings surged past 30%.
[*Survival 100* Release News Has *Geubaekpeu* Fans Poised and Ready: “Listening the Moment It Drops!”]
Endlessly generating new issues was the wellspring of *Geubaekpeu*’s popularity. They already had the experience of *Produce*, but this time the nature was different. That was because the lyric writing and composition for *Survival 100* had been handled by popular contestants Gang Rojun and 58 Sihu.
Thus, the moment the *Survival 100* track officially dropped:
-Aaaaaaaaaaaa finally!!!
-I’ve been waitingㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠㅜbb
-I’m holding out until 2 AM!!!
-The moment I heard the guide version in episode 12 I was like this is freaking good LOLOLOLOLOL
-If you see the reviews from kids who went to the mini concert, they said this theme song melts your ears!! Totally excited!!!
The public’s reaction was several times greater than during *Produce*.
-All the contestants are participating in this theme song, right?? Rojun, please release a solo version too.....
-↑Agreed, agreed, I’m infinitely replaying Rojun’s guide version on YouTube LOLOLOLOLOLOL
-Rojun... Sihu... lyrics and composition... how are we supposed to endure this????
-But LOL it’s still kind of fascinating that Rojun writes lyrics too LOLLLL
-As someone who went to the concert!!! Release the acoustic version too!!!!
-??? There’s an acoustic version?
-If you look at the mini concert reviews, they said they showed a special stage with the acoustic version of the theme song???
-OMG!!! Release it!! Geubaekpeu!! Give us the acoustic too!!!
-The moment the theme song drops I’m going into infinite streaming!!!!
A contestant they cherished and loved had written lyrics and composed, and even participated in the vocals. Naturally, the firepower couldn’t help but be tremendous compared to *Produce*. Thanks to that, the news of the theme song release spread like wildfire within minutes, and *Produce*, which had slipped to the middle ranks of the charts with a brief-dip feel, rose back to the top.
At this moment, Gang Rojun on the Japan side was:
-Vroom!
Riding in a van since early morning. The destination was, of course, the concert hall. Even before makeup was done, Rojun’s visuals were shining, and his eyes grew wide because of:
“Wow—”
About twenty minutes later.
It was due to the crowd gathered in the plaza in front of the concert hall entrance. The main performance started at noon, and though quite a bit of waiting time remained, hundreds of Japanese fans milled about the plaza. Soon, several contestants stuck close around Rojun, who was looking out the window.
“Th-they already gathered like this?!”
“That’s crazy, how many are there?!”
“Wow...... ugh, I’m starting to get nervous.”
“There are so many handmade slogans too!!”
Though they had seen similar scenery in Korea, this was Japan, and it was their first time witnessing fans from another country, so all the contestants were excited. Gang Rojun was no different.
*How fascinating. All those people came to see us.*
To them, Rojun and the contestants were just amateur idols from Korea who didn’t even share a language. However, the heated passion was no less than in Korea. The contestants felt their tension and urgency rise in an instant, and when they entered the concert hall and began rehearsals:
-♬♪
Energy overflowed. Seeing the Japanese fans caused their adrenaline to surge. Any idol, whoever they were, would have felt the same. Foreign fans calling their names in awkward Korean delivered a powerful thrill.
Meanwhile, the fans gathering in the plaza grew more and more numerous.
“Is anyone transferring tickets?!!”
“Me too!! Please!!”
“Wow— you made that slogan so well??? Could you make one for me too? I’ll pay.”
“Ugh!! The kids already went into the concert hall!!”
There were far more people who hadn’t been invited. Mixed among them were reporters and YouTubers holding action cams. What had been hundreds crossed into thousands, and the plaza transformed into pandemonium.
It was a scene where one could feel typhoon-level Hallyu.
Naturally, *Geubaekpeu*’s popularity in Japan was considerable, but it was amplified because it was backed by the Hallyu wave including K-pop.
Thus, several hours melted away.
Before anyone knew it, thousands of Japanese fans who had been bustling outside filled the 5,000-seat concert hall. Of course, because audience numbers had been limited, quite a lot of empty seats were visible on the second floor, but the main first floor was packed full of fans. All of them were busy waving lightsticks distributed by the *Geubaekpeu* production staff, mixing shrieks filled with anticipation.
Then, the lights suddenly darkened.
Thousands of Japanese fans screamed in an atmosphere of *it’s here*.
-Ssh.
Spotlights shone only on the main stage. Ten *Geubaekpeu* contestants standing in a line. The moment the fans saw them, shrieks spread throughout the concert hall, starting from the standing area around the thrust stage.
“Aaaaaaack!!”
“Kyaaaaaaa!!!”
The ten contestants, dressed in matching blazers, looked around at the Japanese fans briefly, and the first to move was the leader standing at center, Gang Rojun.
“Hello, everyone!”
Rojun delivered his prepared remarks in natural Japanese. Perhaps because it was so fluent, quite a few among the thousands of Japanese fans covered their mouths with their hands. Their favorite member speaking to them in their own language? It was obvious their emotions would amplify dozens of times over.
In the midst of this, Gang Rojun’s hands and feet were tingling too.
As it had been in Korea, but he could feel a different thrill at this small-scale concert in Japan.
*So many people like that—they’re calling my name. Ha...... what is this feeling.*
When he had been hideous, everyone avoided and cursed Gang Rojun. But now, both Korea and Japan called out to Rojun like crazy and went wild.
It was only natural for excessive elation to explode.
Following behind him, 58 Sihu and then all the contestants finished the Japanese greetings they had practiced.
-♬♪
The full-scale mini concert kicked off.
Afterwards.
Starting with *Produce*, Gang Rojun and the nine other contestants traversed the stage every which way. The initial tension disappeared. They had domestic experience, and repeating rehearsals countless times in this venue had also helped.
The contestants had grown to the level of communicating with thousands of Japanese audience members on their stage.
Making eye contact, holding hands, waving, and so on.
It was fine even if words didn’t work. The unique heat of a concert offset everything. The thing that let them confirm that the people here were true fans of *Geubaekpeu* was:
-♬♪
...that while most adopted a posture of listening attentively while waving lightsticks, there were also those singing along to the contestants’ songs in awkward Korean. The moment the excitement gauge gradually rose to its breaking point was:
-Whoaaash!
It was the start of *Survival 100*, together with erupting stage fireworks. Naturally, it was the Japanese version, and Rojun and the contestants, dressed in matching outfits, proudly showed off what they had practiced like hell. When Gang Rojun or a few contestants walked the thrust stage, Japanese fans reached out their hands like mad.
“Rojun!! Rojun!!”
“Dokyeong!!! Cute!!”
Compared to pro idols, there were definitely lacking parts. Regrettable elements existed too. A few contestants actually made mistakes. Even so, the Japanese fans enjoyed it.
“I didn’t know they’d sing the theme song in Japanese too.”
“Ha— isn’t this the most satisfying performance you’ve seen this year??”
“It’s the best...... I really love it so much.”
Because just seeing the contestants they loved and cherished in person filled them up. Around this time, U Hanseok and Netflix Japan General Director Tom Cavill, who were scanning the entire concert:
“......”
“......”
...exclaimed in their own ways. PD U Hanseok watched the contestants with a deepened smile.
*They’re real idols now.*
Tom Cavill, who had jointly prepared the concert, covered his mouth with one hand and clicked his tongue.
*I had expected it, but— this is considerable. Where on earth do those kids look like amateurs.*
The concert, heated up by *Survival 100*, peaked with the follow-up stages. The thousands of Japanese fans wished this time would continue, but unfortunately, according to the cue sheet, the performance had reached its end.
Suddenly, the entire concert hall went pitch black.
But the stars studding the night sky—no, thousands of lightsticks—did not stop waving. The growing buzz. For roughly thirty seconds. The end? Was it the end? Just when the frenzied Japanese fans were feeling deeply disappointed, suddenly:
-♬♪
As if echoing across an empty lot late at night, guitar sounds rang throughout the dark concert hall. What the thousands of fans’ eyes could see was the silhouettes of two people on the stage together with the darkness.
Calm yet melodic.
Ad-libs brushing or scraping the guitar strings in a way that delighted the ears. To the high-level guitar sound that spread purely without any audio effects or special effects, the Japanese fans’ reactions varied.
“What, what is it? A guitar??”
“It’s nice. It’s so nice though???”
“There wasn’t any guitar-related stage in *Geubaekpeu*.”
Blinking their eyes, opening their mouths, already frozen, or getting goosebumps all over.
“......Could it be that the kids are playing this??”
“T-that seems to be it. Who is it?”
Japanese fans love the guitar very much. Because there are many famous singer-songwriters and bands are active there. Therefore, anticipation naturally escalated. Around then, several lights in the dark concert hall illuminated the stage.
Two people wearing dark blue jackets, guitars held against their chests, playing while looking at each other.
It was Gang Rojun and 58 Sihu.
The two with quite free-spirited stances matched melodies while smiling. Rojun and 58 Sihu exchanging guitar ad-libs back and forth. Before anyone knew it, the wide concert hall was filled with guitar melodies, and the moment the intro performance that Japanese fans had fallen for ended, it was Gang Rojun who first put his mouth to the standing mic.
The acoustic version of *Survival 100* that opened with a low tone and Rojun’s unique vocal color.
Gang Rojun sent his vocals to the entranced Japanese fans, while 58 Sihu supported on guitar. When the baton was passed, 58 Sihu took over the vocals with a slightly clear, soaring voice, while Rojun handled the guitar.
The thousands of Japanese fans, at the acoustic version that embraced them refreshingly, completely different from the original *Survival 100* shown by all the contestants moments ago:
“......”
“......”
...looked up at Gang Rojun and 58 Sihu as if time had stopped.
There are times like that.
When you hear a song so good that you fall into a trance and are unable to do anything.
You can only listen.
That was exactly what the Japanese fans were like right now. Aside from breathing, there was no movement. Rojun and 58 Sihu entered the chorus. They stopped the engrossing guitar performance and delivered only vocals, then both plucked the guitar strings again.
The acoustic version of *Survival 100* was not merely calm.
When playing strongly, without hesitation; when showing off vocals, boldly; when in duet, richly.
And yet softly at times.
It was an acoustic version with breathtaking tempo control in both guitar and vocals, and as the song headed toward its end, the eyes of the comforted fans grew red.
The lyrics were in Korean, but it didn’t matter at all.
Sincerity permeated the voices and guitar that Gang Rojun and 58 Sihu delivered, and countless things were satisfied with just the combined melody.
Eventually.
-♬♪
When the fading guitar performance ended, Gang Rojun and 58 Sihu, who had remained still for roughly five seconds:
“Thank you for enjoying it.”
They expressed their thanks in Japanese and bowed deeply. Only then did the thousands of Japanese fans, for whom time had stopped, awaken.
-Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
-Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
Thousands clapped without restraint. Their forearms were covered in goosebumps, and their minds were filled with Gang Rojun and 58 Sihu. Among them, many uttered similar words.
“When the track comes out, I’m really going to listen to it until I die.”
It was a perfect ending stage.
About an hour later.
After the Japan mini concert had completely ended, Gang Rojun, the contestants, U Hanseok, and dozens of staff gathered in the waiting room behind the stage, bustling.
“Great work everyone!!”
“Agh— it’s over!! It feels somehow regretful yet light.”
“Everyone worked hard!”
“The stage was really, really good!! Great work!”
Though the *Geubaekpeu* staff’s voices were loud too, those with the biggest reactions were, of course, the sweat-soaked contestants. Perhaps because the thrill of the concert still lingered, they were rowdy. Gang Rojun, who had been going along with the vibe, sat in a makeup chair and checked his phone.
As expected, the *AI Simulation* app had sent a gift.
-[Hidden Mission ‘Digesting Your First Overseas Concert!’ has been achieved! You have been gifted 20 coins.]
The gifts were not one, but two.
Moreover, the second gift was not merely a coin gift.
-[The notoriety of the title ‘Awareness Monster’ meets the conditions and is strengthened by +1!]
-[The title ‘Awareness Monster’ bonus coins rise to 4 upon +4 strengthening.]
-[You have achieved Title +4 strengthening! You have been gifted the ‘Stat +10 Enhancement Coupon’ item.]
Among his titles, “Awareness Monster” had been strengthened by +1. It was right when Gang Rojun had unknowingly broken into a smile.
“There is one more thing to congratulate you all on.”
PD U Hanseok muttered while showing the phone in his hand to Rojun and the contestants.
“The moment our theme song was released, it took first place.”
Inside his phone, the real-time chart of *Melon*, a famous domestic music platform, was being displayed.
[1(new!)] Survival 100 / Produce the 100! (Theme Song)
[2(↓1)] APT / Zero
[3(↓1)] Two Pages / I Changhun
[4(↑2)] Small boy / Yeeun
[5(↑8)] Produce / Produce the 100! (Theme Song)
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This was one hour after the track’s release.