“Today’s studio recording…I’m really nervous about it too. Unpresedented! The GOAT! That’s because we have a guest coming on.”
“If a professional broadcaster like you is nervous, then…umm…a cartoonist like me….uh..I’m so nervous right now…”
“I think this person may need to take some medication.”
“Ki Wan, you didn’t take a calming pill before we started?”
The recording site of ‘People Who live Alone’ at a MVC Studio in Sangamdong was several times busier than usual.
‘People Who Live Alone’ was a reality show reflecting the era of increasing single-person households, following and showcasing a day in the life of a celebrity living alone. It had the highest ratings and buzz among variety shows currently airing.
Not only popular celebrities but also famous webtoon artists and sports stars appeared, boosting its popularity, and three years after it first aired, it had already become MVC’s flagship and long-running program.
Then, the studio door opened and Ahn Hyung Seo, one of the regular panelists, entered.
“Oh, Hyung Seo!”
“Hyung Seo, we’ve been waiting for you! Since…today’s guest is so special.”
Ahn Hyung Seo could be considered a key figure who helped establish ‘People Who Live Alone’.
After enlisting together*, the KK members were discharged and continued to be active in their respective fields.
(TL Note: In Korea, males have to do mandatory service for a few years)
In Ahn Hyung Seo’s case, he was known as the prince of OSTs and was so renowned in the field that people would say that if you wanted a drama to be popular, hire Ahn Hyung Seo.
The first variety show he appeared on after a long time was ‘People Who Live Alone’. Ahn Hyung Seo, who was known as an ‘rich in OST tracks*’, was receiving attention not only from KK fans but also from the general public, and many people were interested in his private life.
(TL notes: To be honest we also feel ‘rich in …’ sounds a little odd, but ‘rich’ was the word used in the original)
Him doing normal things—watching home shopping networks and cooking meals with friends—despite living in a luxury villa was getting that much interest. Furthermore, Ahn Hyung Seo singing all day and being full of energy provided plenty of entertainment value.
Thanks to that, in addition to the nickname ‘rich in soundtrack’, he also got the nickname ‘rich in spirit’ and became a regular on ‘People Who Live Alone’.
“Aren’t you guys being too unfair? I’m KK too…!”
Jeong Hyeon Yoo laughed at what Ahn Hyung Seo said and told him to just take a seat first as he pretended to console him.
The KK members still held tremendous influence in the broadcasting industry. No, they had influence in even more diverse fields than before.
That was true for Ahn Hyung Seo too. However, the person appearing as the special guest on ‘People Who Live Alone’ today was the most influential member of KK.
“Then, since Hyung Seo is here now too, let’s welcome today’s guest. It’s been a long time since he last appeared on a Korean show due to his busy schedule. Hyung Seo, please do the honors.”
“Ok. Then let’s bring him out. Hey, Do Wook! Kang Do Wook!”
When Ahn Hyung Seo called out to him, Do Wook, who was behind the set, opened the door and walked in.
The studio buzzed with excitement at Do Wook’s appearance.
Jeon Hyeon Yoo, Ki Wan, and Park Na Ra got up from their seats and welcomed Do Wook.
Dressed in a white shirt and black pants, Do Wook greeted everyone with a relaxed smile.
***
“Hello, I’m Kang Do Wook. It’s an honor to be on ‘People Who Live Alone’. It’s been a while since I appeared on a Korean program, and it’s an opportunity to meet Korean fans, so…I’m also a little nervous.”
Do Wook’s house located in California.
Do Wook was in front of the camera and gave a greeting.
“My original house is in Korea, but…right now I’m living in America to film ‘Real Man 2’.”
Following ‘Heroes 2’, Do Wook also appeared in ‘Heroes 3’. During that time, ‘Real Man’’s
importance in the cinematic universe increased, and it even achieved the remarkable feat of getting its own standalone film.
After its standalone movie, Real Man established himself as a popular ‘Heroes’ character worthy of rivaling Billion Man. As such, ‘Real Man 2’ was about to be released.
As a singer/producer, Do Wook had won a grammy and as an actor, he had already swept the Academy Awards with the film ‘Hyper’.
He was a unique entity not only in Korea but throughout the entire world.
Day after day, people from all over the world reached out, wanting to see or work with Do Wook.
However, Do Wook didn’t forget Korea, where he first started his career. Do Wook thought that if he lost his identity as a Korean, his unique place in the world would become no different from that of others.
Right after his military discharge, what Do Wook chose to do was none other than a Korean drama.
Do Wook reached another peak by appearing in ‘Descendants of the Sun’ by Writer Jung Eun Soo, whom he had previously agreed to work with if he was going to do a drama. It was a drama that not only achieved high ratings but also gave birth to a huge number of catchphrases.
The craze was tremendous enough to fill the gap left during his military service and also influenced his overseas activities, making Do Wook’s return feel like a stroke of luck.
Therefore, he prioritized Korean programs for the programs he’d appear on as part of promoting ‘Real Man 2’.
Especially for ‘People Who Live Alone’, fellow member Ahn Hyung Seo was on it, and it was a recommended program, so he decided to appear on it without hesitation.
Along with the greeting, Do Wook’s natural daily life was revealed.
Filming for ‘Real Man 2’ had already ended at the end of last year. However, additional filming was underway due to script revisions made during the editing process.
Because of that, Do Wook was also working on Kim Ji Yeon’s album.
Do Wook’s daily routine started at 5 a.m. and continued relentlessly.
5 am.m jogging, 6 a.m. after showering, light breakfast while watching the news, 7 a.m. head to the filming site and get makeup done, filming until late afternoon…
Then, in the evening, there was a meeting regarding Kim Ji Yeon’s album production. Once the meeting was over, Do Wook returned home, sat on the couch and looked like he’d rest for a bit, but not even 30 minutes later he got up from his seat.
Then he locked himself away in the music studio in his California home and began working on music.
It wasn’t until 10 p.m. that Do Wook lay down in bed and finally got proper rest. However, even that was not complete rest.
Do Wook was exploring award-winning films from Cannes, analyzing both the music and the acting.
“Man…you live like each day lasts 48 hours.”
“Isn’t it exhausting living like that?”
Jeon Hyeon Yoo and Ki Wan clicked their tongues and asked after watching Do Wook’s first-day shoot.
“Do Wook…you really haven’t changed. Do Wook lived like that even when doing KK activities. He’s really admirable.”
Jeon Hyung Yoo and Ki Wan shook their heads at what Ahn Hyung Seo said. Park Na Ra only wanted to talk about Do Wook’s abs, which were shown during the shower scene.
“Honestly, I’m used to it…”
Boos poured out at what Do Wook said, but Do Wook simply shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t actually do that every day. There’s times I rest too. If you look at the next day…”
Like that, it seamlessly moved on to the second day shoot.
There was no filming on the second day.
Him waking up at 5 a.m. again to go jogging just like yesterday was admirable. Do Wook’s breath remained steady as he ran and sweat, revealing the secret to his stamina as both an actor and a musician.
After returning home, Do Wook briefly rested, then went back to the studio and started working.
“You said it’s a rest day!”
“That is resting…”
When Do Wook responded, Jeon Hyeon Yoo shuddered.
However, for Do Wook, it was a pleasant break to experiment and work without being bogged down by a tight schedule.
Around 11 a.m., Do Wook left the house to go to brunch.
The California sunlight made Do Wook’s muscles, developed for filming ‘Real Man 2,’ stand out even more. Park Na Ra couldn’t close her mouth.
In the garage of Do Wook’s California house, there were about 5 cars, including a sedan and a luxury SUV. In his house in Korea, he owned 3 more cars that were suited for Korea.
Since the weather was nice, Do Wook chose to drive his blue-tinted sports car. Him driving seemed like an infomercial.
The place Do Wook drove to was a nearby restaurant. There, Do Wook met up with Ariel, who was also his neighbor.
“No way…is that Ariel?”
“Ah…Yes. I was in talks with Ariel about working on a song. We’re neighbors so we often play tennis together too…”
Ariel was an American singer/songwriter who was currently number 1 on the Billboard charts.
Her singing was one thing, but she was a typical blond beauty. Ariel, who had arrived first and had been waiting for him, saw Do Wook and gave him a light hug. Ariel’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Do Wook.
The panelists who had been watching the screen all said that Ariel seemed interested in Do Wook, but Do Wook simply shook his head.
The two of them had a fun brunch, talking about everyday life.
After finishing his brunch with Ariel, Do Wook came back to his house and went to the pool.
Do Wook’s California home had a 50 pyeong* outdoor pool. The panelists were left speechless upon seeing the outdoor pool. It had better facilities than most water parks.
(TL Note: About 1650 sqft)
Jeon Hyung Yoo asked Do Wook if he was ‘pulling his leg’ about relaxing by swimming, scolding him out of jealousy. However, Do Wook was simply showing how he truly was in everyday life.
Do Wook swam until the afternoon. Then a guest arrived at his house.
When Do Wook opened the door, who he saw was Kim Won.
“Oh! Kim Won!”
Park Na Ra shouted upon seeing Kim Won, whom she hadn’t seen in a really long time. A wave of joy also swept over Ahn Hyung Seo’s face.
Unlike Do Wook, who was active in both Korea and America, Kim Won lived entirely in America.
After completing his military service, Kim Won suddenly set out to study abroad. He wanted to finish the studies he had put off for his singing career.
Because of Kim Won’s image as someone who likes playing around and is lively, people wondered how he would do in his studies, but he got into Harvard through a perseverance that was unexpected based on his natural intelligence and public image.
Kim Won, who got into Harvard, majored in cultural anthropology and undertook remarkable projects. His published papers were even featured in renowned research journals.
At the same time, he had not lost his identity as a rapper, often uploading songs he had worked on on his own to MusicCloud. Songs he posted on MusicCloud were all free, but were receiving enormous amounts of donations.
There was but one reason that Kim Won came to California. Today was the day all the KK members were supposed to meet.
“Won! It’s been so long. We’re both in America, but it’s so far…”
“I know. The other members aren’t here yet?”
“Yes. Their flight should have landed by now, so they’ll probably get here soon.”
Kim Won, who had already been to Do Wook’s house a few times, casually grabbed a drink from the fridge and drank it as he sat on the sofa.
“How’s studying going?”
“It’s hard…Still, the stamina I built up while doing KK activities helps a lot.”
“Haha. That’s true. It’s hard being as busy as we were back then.”
Do Wook sat across from Kim Won. Though it had been a while, there was no awkwardness between them.
The KK members were family to each other.
No matter how long or how far apart they were, their relationship wasn’t one that would feel awkward.
The two of them sat down together and watched performances from their KK days on a large TV. Even while lost in nostalgia, they were giggling that Jung Yoon Ki had gotten the choreography wrong at that part.
While the two were reminiscing on KK’s performance, the rest of the members quickly arrived.
The members had come from Korea.
Jung Yoon Ki had become an outstanding producer in Korea, establishing a major hip-hop label and producing numerous hip-hop artists. Jung Yoon Ki exuded a dignified charm becoming of a President of an agency,
The item Jung Yoon Ki offered as he entered the house was an expensive wine that was hard to find. Jung Yoon Ki had brought it to drink together.
Behind him, Park Tae Hyung poked his head out.
“Do Wook! Won!”
Park Tae Hyung, who called out to the two of them in a lively voice, was also the President of a renowned dance academy. The dance academy founded by Park Tae Hyung was a chain not just nationally but also globally renowned.
There was also a branch in California, so Tae Hyung often spent time with Do Wook while Do Wook was staying there.
The people who came in after the two Presidents were Suk Ji Hoon and Ahn Hyung Seo. After his discharge, Suk Ji Hoon continued his activities as ‘bunker21’ on his own.
Suk Ji Hoon discovered a new artist with each album. ‘bunker21’ had become a premier gateway for new talent. Among them, the best rookie was, of course, JU. JU had now become the top female solo artist in Korea.
During all that, he was appointed as Director at HIT Entertainment.
“You’re here, our dear Director Suk.”
When Park Tae Hyung said that, Suk Ji Hoon glared at the rest of them.
“You’re all Presidents…”
Suk Ji Hoon was fairly old now too, but he was playing the role of the youngest that he didn’t even do when he was younger.
“I’m a student.”
“At Harvard…”
Do Wook patted Suk Ji hoon, who was muttering, on the shoulder.
The broadcast showed the KK members, who had gotten together for the first time in a while, laughing and chatting together.
Each of the six members had changed a great deal, but there were parts that hadn’t changed.
KK looked as warm and inviting as before when all six members were together.
They were once the ones writing history every day. And that history was still ongoing.
The friendly expressions of the KK members were also reflected on the warm smiles of the panelists watching the screen.
***
“Whew…! That was really enjoyable. It’s nice to see you all haven’t changed. It’ll be a nice present to the KK fans who had been wanting to see all of you together.”
To Jeon Hyeon Yoo’s closing remark, Do Wook smiled and replied that he hoped so.
Ahn Hyung Seo had a very bright expression as he watched themselves on screen.
At that moment.
The studio lights turned off.
“What the…!”
While Do Wook was surprised, the studio door opened once again and the members came in with a cake and candles lit.
“Happy Birthday to you― Happy Birthday to you― Happy Birthday dear Do Wook―”
They sang Happy Birthday.
Jung Yoon Ki, Kim Won, Park Tae Hyung, and even Suk Ji Hoon. The members’ surprise appearance made Do Wook’s eyes grow wide until they couldn’t get any wider.
Today, the day of the shoot, was Do Wook’s birthday.
Do Wook’s eyes welled up. No matter when, getting congratulated by the members made him happy, and he was touched. And it was the first time in a long time since they had a surprise birthday like this.
He was also grateful that the members, who were so busy in their respective fields that it was hard for them to even meet up, had come together once again for him.
Like that, another birthday came and went.
It was a week before the release of KK’s special album.
Translator’s final comments:
That’s it. It took over 4 years, but we’ve reached the end of our story. Thank you so very much to everyone who’s supported Superstar all this time. It was an absolute pleasure working on this project. Thank you to White Rabbit for being a total rock star with the proofreading. I’m sure it wasn’t easy with all my ridiculous typos, thank you for not giving up on me T.T Thank you to Omni for this opportunity and thank you again to the readers. Let’s give a fond farewell to Do Wook and the gang!
There goes another one of my favourite novel. Thank you for translating this great novel :’)
Thank you for translating. It has been a fun read.