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• Debuted in 2022 as an actress with a supporting role in teen dramaYouthful Exchange.

HYERI DRAMA SERIES

Youthful Exchange (?? ??)—HBS/2022, Lee Soojung.

Moon Minseok, better known by his stage name Moonster, is good at being a celebrity. In fact, he’s amazing at it.

His ability to pick up things quickly has served him well in his chosen profession. Naturally a good singer and rapper, he quickly learned dance from the age of five when he convinced his parents to sign him up for lessons at a local hip-hop studio during his family’s tenure in Westminster, London. Yes, that Westminster. The one close to the famous Abbey Road Studios. Some might imagine this proximity to rock and roll history was a factor in Minseok’s love of music. And whether it’s true or not, it is indeed included on his official idol profile.

In addition to his talent in singing, dancing, and rapping, Minseok is fluent in three languages and proficient in a fourth.

But Minseok knows his true skill as a celebrity, in fact, lies in his power to be liked. He is liked by nearly everyone in the industry. Friends with many fellow celebrities of his same year. Respected by most others as part of the world-famous group WDB, not in small part due to the group’s knack for breaking records again and again.

Moonster is found charming and easygoing by any who’ve had the pleasure of being on a variety or reality show alongside him. His easy rapport with fellow celebrities means he’s often asked to guest host music shows and festival events as well.

To Minseok this is both a blessing and a curse. He still remembers a time when WDB was struggling to gain recognition. When they weren’t asked on any shows or to do any events. They were from a small label with limited connections. So, he is grateful for the boom in popularity and requests over the last two years. Truly he is. But, despite Minseok’s proclivity for entertaining, he’s in fact an introvert (an ISTP the last time WDB was given the MBTI test for a show).

In his off-time, he prefers to be alone with his music or his books or his shows. In fact, he rarely leaves his bed on days off.

Which makes his intense summer schedule that much more annoying.

He is now suddenly the de facto face of what he has come to think of as the “WDB rehabilitation plan,” made necessary after a couple of not-so-simple scandals featuring the two most popular members of the group. (Note: ranking of popularity based on unverified polls onK-Pop Fan Atticforums. Moon Minseok does not personally validate such rankings.)

He reminds himself that’s why he’s at the midsummer K-pop festival. So he can pretend like everything is okay in the Wonder-verse. And that no one need worry about the group breaking up (a rumor going around) or that their leader, JD, is hiding out on a cabbage farm in shame from his recent dating scandal (a funny image to Minseok as he knows Jongdae would never be caught dead on a farm).

“Moonster-ssi, the next question is for you,” says the assistant PD conducting the behind-the-scenes interview.

Moonster gives her a polite smile and a nod.

“We heard you were involved in writing the lyrics for this song. What inspired you to write something so romantic? Perhaps your beautiful duet partner?”

Minseok glances at the girl beside him. Kim Ana is gorgeous. No one can deny that. But when she smiles, it does nothing for him. Ana is talented. She’s polite and says all the right things at the right time. But, for some reason, Minseok feels like he’s looking at a photograph instead of a person.

Still, he plasters on an easygoing smile. “She definitely would have helped. But I wrote the lyrics before I got the pleasure of meeting Ana-ssi. The producers sent me a scene from the drama, and Robbie and I wrote the lyrics based on that.”

“Fans were really excited about the surprise self-produced song Robbie released on YouTube at the beginning of summer. Are the rumors of new solo music from him true?”

Minseok gives a shrug and a sly smile. “Robbie has always been a great songwriter. I’ve heard some of his recent songs he’s working on and they sound amazing, maybe he’ll share something new soon.”

It is a lie. Minseok hasn’t heard any of the tracks Robbie is working on. He has barely had time to see the other guys this summer outside of the few times they see each other in the dorm. But he knows how to promote things, and he knows what would best help the group. The company only let Robbie drop a surprise solo track to help everyone forget that the next WDB group album is delayed due to JD’s scandal.

“And, Kim Ana, how did it feel working with Moonster?”

Ana sends Moonster another empty smile. “It was amazing and nerve-racking. I was a huge fan of Oppa before. Definitely a total Constellation! So, I was very starstruck. But Oppa made me feel so comfortable during the entire recording session.”

Kim Ana knows it’s a lie. Moonster barely said a passing hello to her as he left the recording studio when she arrived for her session. And this is the first time she’s ever called him Oppa. But she is experienced enough to know that Moonster isn’t going to expose her in front of a camera. It would make him look bad as well. Plus, this lie is for both of their benefits. Pretending to have a close treasured memory from the recording session will help keep the song on the charts.

As expected, Moonster grins, sending her a little wink. “It was easy with such a talented hoobae.”

“Great!” the interviewer says, clapping her hands.

She’s delighted by how perfect Moonster and Kim Ana look on camera together. This will almost definitely fuel the fledgling rumors that they’re secretly dating. Two of the hottest idols right now and she gets to interview them. She begged the head PD for the opportunity.

“That was great! Thank you, Moonster-ssi, Ana-ssi.”

Moonster nods and turns to Ana to say goodbye. But she’s already walking away. It doesn’t bother him. Some idols don’t like making small talk. He returns to his dressing room. He had been pulled away from his lunch for the interview. But when he walks in, there’s another camera crew there.

“Ah, here he is,” says Hanbin, Minseok’s manager. “You can capture some content while he finishes getting ready for sound check. Minseok-ah, this is a behind-the-scenes crew hoping to get vlog content for the HBS YouTube channel.” Hanbin looks like he’s in his late thirties rather than his late twenties with a receding hairline and worry lines around his mouth. Minseok knows he and his members gave Hanbin the majority of those wrinkles.