On the day of Testa’s encore concert in Seoul.
A graduate student who entered Gocheok Sky Dome wore a faint smile.
‘Finally… I get to experience my first concert…!’
Thanks to the encore concert being held on a Saturday, she barely managed to make time for it.
At last, it was time to enjoy a concert without any spoilers!
Standing at the crossroads of becoming a scholar or getting a master’s degree and finding a job, the graduate student had only one concern today.
‘Will I be able to see Moondae well? Is this really the best seat?’
Yes. The graduate student had succeeded in getting tickets for the front seats of the protruding stage—an incredible spot.
It was the very area that had stirred controversy during the last concert when “Ajousa” Season 4 occupied it.
Her friend, who was taking pictures of Park Moondae, shed tears of envy but still congratulated her.
\- I just got in; my heart feels like it’s going to explodeㅠㅠㅠ
Replying to the message her friend sent a few dozen minutes ago, the graduate student took her seat.
Just as her friend said, her heart felt like it was going to burst!
Encore concerts usually have similar setlists and venues, so she already had an idea.
‘I’ll get to see at least four songs from the protruding stage!’
Anticipating that she would be able to see Park Moondae’s performance right in front of her, she clutched her light stick and waited for the concert to start.
And a little while later.
“Waaaaaah!!”
“Oooooh!!”
Amidst the surging performance and people whose adrenaline was exploding, the graduate student also shouted in excitement.
‘This is so great!!’
Watching the concert from a central seat with a great view was almost an artistic experience.
“Park Moondae!! Moondae!!”
The solo stage of Park Moondae that just ended was a perfect example.
He removed the chair he had been using during the tour and showed a performance where he floated in the air without any props. Watching it from the center made the intention of the performance feel even clearer.
The whirl of emotions displayed through the chaotic primary-colored fabrics.
In the center under the lights, a fleeting affection floating in the air beyond the falling fabrics.
The graduate student silently nodded, muttering to herself.
‘Park Moondae is… a genius.’
And it wasn’t just because of the good seat that all these emotions resonated so clearly.
‘Moondae is doing so well.’
His performance was even more powerful than before.
Although the sound system should be the same since it was the same venue, there was a raw emotional intensity in his voice that struck differently.
If the graduate student had logged onto SNS, she would have seen people sharing similar impressions while watching live streams.
\- I was lying in bed but ended up clapping.
\- Haha, no more excuses about low sound qualityㅋㅋ Park Moondae sounds amazing even like thisㅋㅋ
\- Am I the only one who thinks this is better than the recorded version?
\- Please release a DVD of the encore concert too.
As the level of immersion changed, the emotional lines on stage also shifted.
It was a definite effect of “Indulgence Time (S)” that even Park Moondae himself hadn’t fully anticipated.
And just now, backstage, Park Moondae, who had removed his stage equipment, was feeling it too.
“…Phew.”
His hands were trembling.
Not from pain or spasms but from the lingering emotions.
It was an overwhelming emptiness and refreshment, as if he had been submerged in a sea of emotions up to his head and then pulled out.
‘Still… it was a better choice than I expected.’
He was satisfied with his performance just now.
Immersion without conscious effort elevated a person even more.
Especially since he performed an intensely emotional song alone, it was even more profound.
‘It’s stronger than usual.’
To regain his composure, Park Moondae drank an electrolyte beverage to clear his mind.
“Mo-Moondae! Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere…?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“O-Oh, that’s good… B-But if you feel uncomfortable, make sure to tell us!”
“Will do.”
“Y-Yeah! Ah! Your ‘Flower Crescent’ performance just now was really amazing…!”
“Thanks. You were great too.”
As he listened to Sun Ah-hyun, who used a brief moment to express his concern disguised as conversation after changing costumes, it was about time.
‘Group songs are up next, then an impromptu stage, and a slightly longer VCR….’
“Seven minutes left!”
‘The unit stage is right before the encore.’
Time flew by faster than expected during concerts, Park Moondae thought.
So he had to stay focused.
‘Let’s do this properly.’
Resolving himself, Park Moondae moved through the corridor to wait below the stage.
And matching the chorus of Ryu Chungwoo’s final solo stage, he stepped outside and began to immerse himself in the performance again.
Waaaaaah!!
In fact, it was hard not to get immersed in such an environment.
* * *
As several title tracks, which had become quite numerous by now, passed by and a cute impromptu stage went on, the audience was thoroughly enjoying the rare offline experience.
Even so, they all knew.
Based on their previous experiences, which they had reviewed through VODs, the concert was now in its full-fledged second half.
So they knew that the ‘unit stage,’ which had been promoted at the end of Testa’s latest reality show, would soon appear.
‘There weren’t many changes to the setlist!’
‘Looks like they put a lot of effort into the unit stage….’
Especially when the same VCR from the last concert played, people calculated in their heads even amidst their excitement, as if it were a break time.
And not betraying their expectations, the unit stage appeared at the right moment.
[Falling—Like a falling autumn star, I fall, fall, fallen for you.]
First up were Sun Ah-hyun and Ryu Chungwoo.
The audience watched their stage with fresh excitement, as it was a combination they hadn’t seen much before.
They smoothly performed the debut song of their senior male idol group, T-Holic.
‘Oh~ nice!’
That was the opinion of the graduate student, a fan of Park Moondae.
Next was the stage of Bae Sejin, Lee Sejin, and Kim Raebin.
[I aim at you, my Target. I won’t miss, my enemy.]
They brought a powerful concept from a hit song by a female idol group called ‘Hitman’ and appropriately distributed the parts.
‘Impressive!’
As expected, the graduate student, who had the sensibilities of an average person when it came to idols other than Park Moondae, gave a favorable review.
Both unit stages were much grander and more like large-scale performances than those in the first concert.
Thanks to that, she straightened her back naturally.
‘So that means Moondae is next…!’
As the previous two stages were excellent, her expectations soared about what kind of performance Park Moondae and Cha Yujin would prepare for the finale.
‘Everyone on SNS was excited too!’
If she dug a little deeper online, she’d find plenty of worried opinions from people biting their nails, but the graduate student wasn’t that internet-savvy yet.
So she was about to witness the last unit stage with 100% pure anticipation.
[…]
After the previous stage ended and a short video played on the screen, the stage darkened.
Ding—
As the sound of a grandfather clock chimed, the lights suddenly came back on.
On the black-and-white stage, a tall male figure stood in a precise choreographed formation with eight dancers.
It was Cha Yujin.
‘Where’s Moondae…?’
Before the graduate student’s thought could even form into a sentence, the music started to surge.
It was a melody she’d heard somewhere before.
Ba-bam-bam-bam-bam!
\- Listen!
No matter how hard
I think about it.
I cannot hold it.
With a cheerful and nimble electro-swing sound, Cha Yujin began to move, leading the dancers.
Among all those people, he was the only one impeccably dressed in a black shirt, complete with a harness and jewelry chains—he looked every bit the solo artist.
\- Why Why~
Are you not a monster?
Cha Yujin was dazzling.
Using sparkling lights, a lively voice, and even incorporating the glitter effects bursting in the background into his choreography made jaws drop.
Cha Yujin was enjoying the stage as if possessed.
\- Umm Umm Umm~
Screams and cheers didn’t cease.
It was only when he stepped away from the center and confidently walked toward the left side of the stage that the graduate student came to her senses.
‘Wait, so where’s Moondae??’
However, Cha Yujin mercilessly entered the chorus.
Thanks to the hook song format, the iconic part repeated quickly four times.
\- Monster, monster
You got me so
I grabbed you
Bebe, babe
Amidst the dancers, Cha Yujin performed the complex choreography lightly and smoothly on his own.
It felt like he was drawing everyone’s gaze.
\- Bebe, babe!
After a sharp, soaring move, Cha Yujin smiled while sliding his index finger across his lips.
“Wow…”
Even a fan of Park Moondae couldn’t help but exclaim reflexively.
But at the very moment when the impressive first chorus concluded.
Suddenly, the accompaniment changed.
Wooooong—!
‘Huh?’
The sophisticated arrangement that had been using highly modern electronic instruments seemed to fade away.
And instead, a bold band orchestra took over.
“…?!”
“…??”
Before sounds of confusion could emerge from the audience.
With a brilliant flash of light, the background at the center of the stage opened up.
“…!!”
And a massive golden throne, like a royal seat atop a grand blue velvet structure, began to appear.
Sitting casually on that magnificent chair was… Park Moondae, wearing glasses and a school uniform accented with a noticeable knit.
‘What is this??’
With a nonchalant yet troubled expression, Park Moondae began to sing.
\- Yeah.
Just thinking about it
I can’t stand you anymore.
It was the lyrics of the pop song translated into Korean.
Park Moondae led the song with a clear and distinct voice. It sounded somewhat more exaggerated and emotional than usual….
‘Wait a minute.’
The graduate student, who was about to be completely drawn in, realized that this arrangement also sounded quite familiar.
It wasn’t just a simple translation.
‘…This is from a musical!’
That’s right.
The pop song ‘Monster Baby’ was also one of the famous numbers from a certain musical that compiled songs by that artist.
\- You’re
Not even like a human!
Park Moondae continued singing, lounging on the grand chair in a neat school uniform.
He was performing a song from the role of a modern student who had gone mad after being stranded in a bizarre 17th-century castle.
And that wasn’t all.
Woo, wooo, woooo~
Around Park Moondae, figures in flamboyant modern attire appeared and began to dance and add chorus.
They were obviously a musical ensemble.
Thanks to that, whether the audience knew the background or not, they could roughly guess.
That a musical scene was being reenacted.
‘Wow.’
It was a stage that boldly presented the same song in completely opposite forms, but the performance was so powerful that the audience forgot their confusion and got swept up.
\- Monster, monster
Grab me and
Pull me in
Yeah, like that!
While performing choreography atop the massive golden chair, Park Moondae matched the lyrics and story as the ensemble moved the structure around.
\- Always, like that!
Amidst the colorful lights, feathers, and dazzling period drama elements that could make one’s head spin, Park Moondae’s vocals sliced through the concert hall.
It was the explosive and dramatic flavor of a musical.
“Waaaaaaah!”
For now, the audience applauded reflexively. The quality was spine-chilling.
However, there wasn’t much of a unit stage to speak of.
‘It’s almost like… a solo showdown?’
‘This isn’t really a unit.’
Just as a few people were predicting that conversations would arise once they came down from the concert high.
Ziiiing!
As the interlude trembled, figures dressed in sleek black suits surged onto the center stage from the darkened left side.
“Huh?”
They were Cha Yujin and the dancers.
And they climbed onto the carpeted structure with the chair, pushing Park Moondae and the ensemble to the right side of the stage!
“…??”
The musical set was slid over as if being swept away….
And then.
Ba-bam-bam-bam— Ba-ba-bam!
Matching the returning synthesizers and brass, Cha Yujin and the dancers pulled out staffs.
The staffs connected and disconnected with their movements, adding strength and flair to the choreography.
“Wow.”
When the staffs flashed with neon colors, countless lights gathered in the air to support Cha Yujin’s movements.
It was a glow-in-the-dark drone performance.
Cha Yujin smirked as he deftly manipulated the drones as if they were alive.
\- Bebe, babe!
As the chorus grandly concluded once again.
This time, without a moment’s gap, Park Moondae’s side quickly pushed toward the center stage.
Standing on the golden chair with arms crossed, Park Moondae had boldly attached a massive chandelier to the structure.
And as if declaring war, he and the ensemble harmonized with a high note.
\- I thought about it again today
I can’t tolerate you anymore!
The lyrics were exquisite. The chandelier scattered lights, dazzling the dancers’ eyes.
‘This is crazy!’
Now the audience began to laugh.
But it wasn’t out of helplessness; there was comfort and anticipation in enjoying a completed performance.
A genre-crossing, somewhat meta-humorous, and unabashedly playful performance was unfolding on stage.
Because both Cha Yujin and Park Moondae were so natural, the stage became immensely enjoyable rather than awkward.
Drrrrr—!
As the two bickered back and forth, they eventually, without a word, engaged in a silent battle of wills and ran out to the protruding stage together for the final chorus.
With synthesizers and orchestra combined, the song became as grand and extravagant as one used in festivals or carnivals.
\- Monster, Monster
Bebe, babe!
Grab me and pull me in
Yeah, like that!
Original and translated lyrics were mixed. The dancers charged through the ensemble.
Cha Yujin climbed onto the golden chair, changing his vocal style as he sang, and Park Moondae danced with the drones.
The reckless invasion into each other’s domains heated up the stage.
\- Monster, like that!
Piiing!
Fireworks of all colors exploded as the harmonies and choreography reached their climax.
The two disparate elements of the stage amplified each other’s destructive feeling even more aggressively as they reached the ending.
“Uwaaaaaaah!!”
Beyond the sound of fireworks and electronic accompaniment, the screams of the people shook the venue as if part of the performance.
“Woooooow!!”
The graduate student found herself clapping, smacking her light stick against her palm without realizing it.
She didn’t yet know that an hour later, on her way home, she would be shocked to realize that this stage was only 4 minutes and 20 seconds long.
* * *
“That was amazing! Amazing!”
“I get it.”
Cha Yujin kept shaking my shoulder, repeating the same words throughout the VCR. It seemed he really liked the performance just now.
I understood. I was a bit surprised too.
‘It actually worked.’
It was a setup that would be hard to immerse in unless you had quite the nerve, but there wasn’t a hint of awkwardness.
‘I thought it might flop, but I guess it was worth the S-grade.’
In fact, I almost felt like continuing the performance without a break, VCR or not….
“Let’s do it again! A hundred times! It was amazing!”
Of course, not to that extent. Let go.
“Alright. Let’s reorganize the formation first.”
“Yes!”
Such sudden expenditure of energy wasn’t good. I needed to keep my wits about me tonight.
Because there was still an event left today besides this unit stage challenge.
‘…Is it really over now?’
With about 30 minutes left until the concert ended.
The moment when the abnormal status would truly be lifted was right around the corner.