While Jung Dajun was seriously speculating about the correlation between Seo Hoyun’s cryptic kindness and “seasickness,” the Noeuls were enjoying every day thanks to Kang Ichae, Kim Sunghyun, and Seo Hoyun’s dazzling performances on variety shows. In particular, the reaction to Seo Hoyun, who surprised people every week with his skill on Perfect Singer, was explosive. [Perfect Singer this week’s episode is legendary.....] Some criticized the show as being scripted, claiming that whether or not a contestant could sing all the way through such a mission determined the outcome. But as famous singers came on and were eliminated one after another, those criticisms gradually faded. Naturally, the public’s attention turned to Seo Hoyun. 【The song I’ll be performing next is Lage sunbae’s “Act Natural.”】 After winning 1st place for two consecutive weeks, Seo Hoyun made an unexpected choice. It was “Act Natural.” A masterpiece released five years ago by Lage, a contemporary R&B singer. Upon release, it swept every chart on music platforms, and in every café across Korea, this song could be heard playing. But “popular” didn’t mean “easy.” Although it had an addictive beat, the syncopated melody already made the song difficult, and Lage’s voice was almost criminally good. To match its rich sound, the singer needed to add technique without getting swallowed by the melody or overshadowed by the original. Naturally, most singers avoided covering it. Considering that Seo Hoyun had consistently chosen calm, lyrical ballads with a straightforward rhythm since his first performance, this was a surprising pick. 【Seo Hoyun is doing “Act Natural”?】 【Wow, that’s... something.】 Composed of well-known figures in songwriting, composing, producing, and singing, the panel members were fully aware of what this meant and smirked knowingly. 【I think this is too much.】 【While his low-to-mid voice might suit “Act Natural,” this is Perfect Singer. R&B thrives on flashy technique—he might have misunderstood the program.】 【Well... the results will speak for themselves.】 As if prearranged, they unanimously voiced skepticism. And then, in a way that made the editing’s intent obvious, an interview with Lim Hyunsu was inserted. 【Many are giving negative reviews of Seo Hoyun’s song choice. What do you think, Composer Lim Hyunsu?】 She wrinkled her nose slightly and spoke calmly. 【Two weeks in, and they still don’t get Seo Hoyun.】 【Well, like someone said, the results will speak for themselves.】 Leaning forward and looking straight into the camera, Lim Hyunsu smirked and whispered: 【Want to bet on who’s going to take 1st place?】 A cheeky caption appeared: “Whenever she says this, the production team has lost 100 out of 100 times....” And Seo Hoyun’s third competition stage began. A dim haze settled over the stage, and dark green light soaked into his pale cheeks. This time, unlike before, the audience’s eyes were filled with expectation as they landed on him. Seo Hoyun opened and closed his eyes once, then gripped the standing mic. Have you been waiting for me?】 The moment his voice hit the song’s notoriously difficult syncopated intro perfectly on beat, gasps erupted across the venue. 【Take off the watch on your wrist There’s no need to check the time When it’s just the two of us here】 As the lyrics played, Seo Hoyun lifted his arm and brushed his wrist, subtly revealing it, while fireworks exploded on the screen behind him. 【Put your hand on my shoulder The moment our breaths meet From the start, there was no such thing as a “wrong song choice” for Seo Hoyun. He was an idol who even danced calculating the x, y, and z axes. 【Don't turn off the light I want to see all of you】 This stage was his proof— No matter what song he sang, 1st place would be his. Read full story at 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⟡𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵 Even as he wrote the correct answer on the pad, Seo Hoyun’s expression didn’t change a bit—just like his pitch. Eventually, the production team played their trump card. A montage of Seo Hoyun’s aegyo. Faced with his own cuteness from every angle, Seo Hoyun merely lifted the corner of his lips slightly, completely unfazed. Instead, Lim Hyunsu, forced to watch, covered her eyes in agony after taking a critical hit. 【Don’t say you love me lightly Tell me only when you’re truly desperate】 That day, Seo Hoyun once again completed every mission flawlessly. The panel could only stare at him with weary faces. 【Interlock your fingers with mine The moment our breaths meet Seo Hoyun ran his hand down the standing mic and slowly lowered his eyelids. He didn’t even need to look at the electronic scoreboard showing the melody guide. 【Act natural, my babe】 Yet his pitch was perfect to the very end. Rich emotion lingered in his voice right through the final note. Before the lingering emotion faded, the score flashed on the screen—a new record high for ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Perfect Singer. [Are you kidding me??? lololol that was insane lolol] [Such a badass lolol] [How did he even do that? lolol This guy’s unreal lolol] The Noeuls were bursting with pride and delight that such a talent was their group’s lead vocalist. [So damn sexy..........................] [Those lyrics are spicy, ha....] [I’m clenching my fists from how much I love this... I love it so much I almost want to yell at someone... Where the hell did a genius idol even come from.... └ lolol why are you getting mad lolol] [Seo Hoyun swore up and down on Hoyun’s Bang Bang Diary that he doesn’t date... you crazy man... Still... with time, he’ll date... └ Truly consistent..] Once again, the trophy went to Seo Hoyun. Nearly perfect rhythm and pitch, a pleasant low-to-mid tone, and gestures perfectly matching the lyrics. The “Act Natural Perfect Singer Challenge” began trending, and the song climbed into the top ranks on karaoke charts. [Does this guy have gills or something? How do you even sing this?] [Ugh I tried it at karaoke and got so embarrassed lolol] As Kim Sunghyun, Seo Hoyun, and Kang Ichae continued to thrive in variety shows, their public recognition kept soaring. [Seo Hoyun’s on so many variety shows lately... it’s like he has three bodies..] [But why are they doing variety instead of releasing a song lol] [They’re picking and choosing on purpose... The public recognition boost is real right now lol Fans say Daepaseong has no money, but if they had none, would they be on these shows? They’re just picking ones that work and aren’t too physically taxing.] When unexpected interest poured into shows like Rising Rookies and Perfect Singer Reboot, which had been predicted to flop before airing, criticism shifted in a new direction. [They’ll probably snag another easy, boring variety next—typical idol route.] That they only went on “easy” variety. And a few days later— 《Life Experience Field returns at the end of November! Special 5-part broadcast planned》 The article announced that the news/current affairs program Life Experience Field, which had aired for 20 years since the 1990s, would return as a special 5-part series. The program had celebrities try various jobs for a day, donating their wages to those in need. After similar content became popular on web variety, the broadcaster revived it as a special project. [Oh~ long time no see, Life Experience Field haha] [I watched this back in elementary school lol] The news of a nostalgic program’s comeback stirred up chatter among netizens—though few Noeuls paid much attention. 《The Dawn confirmed for group appearance on Life Experience Field... Variety show grind continues》 But soon after, news broke that The Dawn would be appearing on Life Experience Field. Fans rubbed their eyes to make sure they’d read the headline correctly, then clicked with trembling hands—only to gape moments later. [lololol wait... what??? lolololol] [This is hilarious—The Dawn are insane lololol What we expected: Running Man What The Dawn gives us: Life Experience Field] [Wow, I can’t believe my active idol is going on Life Experience Field lolol what generation of idols even did this...] While fans had occasionally tilted their heads at The Dawn’s choices, never before had they been so unsure whether to be happy or worried. [Why suddenly, when things are going so well...? It’s not the worst Sunday night slot, but... still kinda random lol] [I just hope they don’t have to suffer...] [Isn’t this produced by that PD who did the K-pop patriotic documentary last time?] [Oh... lol that doc got good reactions even though a few idols said something stupid and got smacked down... └ Our Yeonhoo’s stomach hurts..] [Title: Found an interview with PD Choi He even mentioned Hoyun a while ago... Q: Any memorable moments while filming the Europe concert doc? Choi Jihoon: I remember having a deep conversation about documentaries with an idol during the shoot. He’s now famous for his XXX-disease. Q: Was it Seo Hoyun? (laughs) Choi Jihoon: Yes. (laughs) He was really considerate and kind. Later, I heard he was already known for treating staff well. I’d like to work with him again if given the chance. Our bunny, our kind bunny♡] For fans, gathering all possible information on a program their idol would appear in was basic training. Seeing the PD praise Seo Hoyun put them at ease—though worry still lingered. [What is Life Experience Field anyway?? Never heard of it..] [Whoa, there are people who don’t know this show?? Your aunt must have been hoarding your photocards... └ I want to tell you to stop exaggerating, but yeah, you’re basically aunt-age. └└ Please, it hurts, stop.] While time passed with no more new info, a rumor started circulating beneath the surface. [Originally, Jung Dajun was going to be on Let’s Cook, but they canceled on him because they wanted a more popular idol^^ Heard it from a friend at the station lol] It was just hearsay without proof, but fans—sensitive to broadcaster power plays—gathered in private accounts. I’m still pissed even laughing... this is just so damn shitty...] [If this is true, it’s you or me, motherf—] [But there’s no proof—can we trust it?] [Our puppy said on live he’s been practicing cooking... Was that for Let’s Cook?] Meanwhile, public interest in Life Experience Field steadily grew. My family and I used to watch this together lol, brings back memories.] [Didn’t they say Sunghyun’s going to be on??^^ Can’t wait to see what he does this time—must-watch.] [Whenever I watched this back in the day, it made me want to live life more earnestly. I’m definitely tuning in this time.] And so, the last week of November arrived— The first episode aired. The nostalgic BGM played, and the title card for Life Experience Field appeared. Then—shhhhhh... the sound of waves came through the speakers. Seagulls cried as they soared into the sky, and white clouds floated gently in the bright blue sky. With bustling noises in the background, Seo Hoyun appeared on screen hauling up a fishing net. Next to him, Jung Dajun squatted down, busily sorting fish. After working quietly for a while, Jung Dajun lifted something in both hands and shouted excitedly. “Whoa! There’s an octopus in here!!” The Noeuls just stared blankly at the TV. 【Life Experience Field – The Dawn, East Sea Edition】