Three days before the airing of "Sing Along Duo," the atmosphere started to shift from the very first teaser release. Since the pairing of Park Young-jae and Hyejin had already been revealed, the teaser heavily promoted them. However, 7IN's partner remained shrouded in mystery.
The teaser only revealed a brief silhouette at the end, as if it was hiding something incredible.
Netizens began to debate over that silhouette.
[Why aren't they revealing 7IN's partner?] [Judging by the filming, it seems like they did get someone.] [ㅋㅋㅋ It's obvious they're just stirring the pot because their partner is weaker than Hyejin.] [Nono, there's a rumor that the partner is Yeonguijeong.] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Yeah right, like it's Yeonguijeong.] [Can you stop your wishful thinking~] [The silhouette really did look like Yeonguijeong.] [ㅋㅋㅋ Don't you guys remember the MC the Hwangjo incident?] [People guessed MC the X just by the silhouette in the teaser, but it turned out to be the veteran singer Jo Hwangjo.] [Ah, that was legendaryㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [Isn't it going to be another random old singer this time?] [But at least Jo Hwangjo was well-knownㅋㅋ]
Amid all these negative speculations, 7IN's fans who attended the live taping showed incredible patience.Since debut, the group had always pleasantly surprised the haters, so now even the fans were beginning to enjoy the twist.
Finally, in the midst of all this negativity, the first episode of "Sing Along Duo" aired. With high-quality stages rolling out, the fourth act, Park Young-jae, teamed up with Hyejin to deliver a fantastic collaboration, raising the excitement.
[This is crazyㅏㅏㅏㅏ] [Wowㅏ Tango] [Hyejin killed itㅠㅠㅠㅠ] [Phew, the stage, the arrangement, the outfits, everything was legendary.] [ㅋㅋㅋ All those who were cursing Young-jae must be sulking nowㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [This clip is going to break view records too.] [It breaks my heart to see my idol going through tough competition, but watching the stage makes me go crazyㅠㅠㅠㅠ Competitions are truly love-hate... ] [But what about the remaining singers?] [Can 7IN top this?] [Nono, it's impossible with Jo Hwangjo.] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
By the time the fourth stage ended, Park Young-jae's fans had no doubt about their win.Not only did Park Young-jae put on an outstanding performance, but he also had the backing of Veritas and Hyejin's fandom, and 7IN's partner was still unknown at this point.
[But what did 7IN do to get the last slot?] [Aren't they supposed to be under the Confucian order with their Confucian scholar concept?] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's Seokuni's pick, isn't it?] [Well, Seokuni was also the main PD for the Idol Training Simulation.] [But wouldn't it have been better to give them the first slot?] [Did Seokuni know it would turn out like thisㅋㅋㅋ] [7IN's fans are one minute away from a total collapseㄷㄷㄷ]
However, as the sixth stage began, the atmosphere completely flipped.At the center of a beautifully designed oriental stage was none other than Yeonguijeong, making her first appearance on mass media in five years.
[What???????????] [WTFㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [What is this;;;;;;;;;;;] [Oh no, seriously] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋ What is this reallyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [This is insane대답갭때박댑가]
The 7IN fans, who had been holding their breath until that moment, finally exploded in reaction. It felt like the frustrations they had built up over the past week were suddenly released.It wasn't just about bringing in a good partner.
The quality of the set, the perfection of the arrangement, the performance composition—everything was so good that people almost forgot about Park Young-jae's stage.
Most of all, you could see the insane amount of practice the members and Yeonguijeong had put in.
It was already impressive that they brought in such a big name, but for them to collaborate so precisely was incredible!
The fans who attended the live taping were overjoyed to relive the emotional moment, and those who couldn't attend were nearly fainting from the unexpected surprise.
[ㅠㅠ I feel like cryingㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ] [This is seriously crazyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [My heart won't survive stanning this team] [They asked for a mixed-gender collaboration, and the company brings in an all-time legendㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ] [Wow, Yeonguijeong still hasn't lost her presence. She's insane.] [Please look after our 7IN members tooㅠㅠㅠㅠ] [Who else could stand next to Yeonguijeong and not look out of place?] [The members look even happier todayㅠㅠㅠㅠ] [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ By the way, where are all those people who said 7IN was doomed?] [Come out quickly~ We need to keep the conversation going.] [How many times do haters need to get crushed before they learn?] [WTF they just relied on casting.] [You typed those five characters in three minutes?] [Just leave them alone. Their hands are trembling so much they can't even type.]
Thanks to Yeonguijeong's appearance, the viewership rating, which started at 7%, soared to 15% just before the broadcast ended. The moment "Sing Along Duo," which was thought to be just an ordinary duet music competition program, became Yeonguijeong's comeback show, it was a given that it would dominate the buzz rankings.[Yeonguijeong's Surprise Return to Showbiz as a Partner of 7IN in 'Sing Along Duo'!] [Yeonguijeong Makes a Comeback with a Dot: Is She Now a Confucian Woman Instead of a You Go Woman?] ["I Came to Help My Close Friends." How Did Yeonguijeong and 7IN Become Close?]
For three days following the broadcast, the 7IN-Yeonguijeong collaboration maintained an overwhelming buzz (number of online mentions).
See AlsoNavigating New Beginnings: Lindsey KamienikBeau McDougall on LinkedIn: The Majority of Veterans Are Unaware of a Key VA Loan BenefitNot only did it dominate SNS trends, but a challenge based on the chorus's 'Pipe Dance' from 'Confucian Woman' also started trending rapidly.
Fans credited Solar System, the agency, as the key to this massive success. They believed that Solar System had done an excellent job securing Yeonguijeong for the collaboration.
[Wow, isn't their agency doing an amazing job?] [I was worried when they said 'Sing Along Duo' was coming out, lol.] [Maybe Solar System had this big plan with Yeonguijeong all along.] [That might be the case, lol.] [Who knows what the future holds, but for now, I'm really satisfied with the agency.] [It's not easy for a fan to like an agency.] [I hope they take good care of the members' conditions from now on.] [Just getting Yeonguijeong on board was a huge accomplishment.] [Not just an accomplishment, lol, the agency really carried this one.]
While proud of the praises pouring in, Team Leader Seo Eun-woo wasn't planning to take credit for it.
The collaboration with Yeonguijeong was entirely thanks to the members of 7IN. They were the ones who made the initial contact. Seo Eun-woo and Solar System hadn't done anything in between.
Because of this, Team Leader Seo Eun-woo released a press statement explaining the backstory of how Yeonguijeong was secured. The short interview fully conveyed how Yeonguijeong was brought on board and how Solar System was supporting 7IN with the best intentions.
"We were able to bring Yeonguijeong on board thanks to the members of 7IN. Solar System is doing its utmost to ensure that our artists feel fulfilled and happy in their careers. However, pushing for Yeonguijeong's return was something we never imagined. It was the members who suggested her first. Of course, they also had her contact information. I've been told it all started with a random encounter during a Jeju Island trip."
The humble interview, which redirected the credit, only garnered more positive reactions from fans.
[Solar System = God God God God God] [I praised Solar System so much today that I listened to the Solar System 200 times.] [I shouted out the names of the planets 100 times on my way home.] [Crazy, are you not a student? Pluto has been out of the Solar System for a while, lol.] [Oops, did my love for nostalgia give me away, haha.] [But seriously, that was a great interview.] [The agency worked hard too. Just making contact isn't enough. They had to coordinate schedules and create an environment where Yeonguijeong could practice with the members.] [All of that is work. Aren't they being too humble?] [And, most importantly, Team Leader Seo is so handsome, lol.] [How can they not make it an 8-member group, haha?] [I'm most curious about how 7IN and Yeonguijeong became close, lol.] [Right, why are they even close, lol?] [How did they even meet in Jeju Island, lol?] [Please share the story!]
Team Leader Seo Eun-woo and his team closely monitored the online reactions.
Most responses praised Solar System and the members of 7IN, but there were also many curious about how the 7IN-Yeonguijeong connection was formed.
"Hmmm..."
This seemed like it could be a good content idea.
Reading the situation, Team Leader Seo Eun-woo directly reached out to Yeonguijeong.
"Noona, it's Seo Eun-woo."
– "Yes, what's up?"
"If it's okay with you, could you join 7IN's live broadcast sometime this week?"
– "A live broadcast? Like J-Live?"
"There are a lot of people curious about how you and the members became friends."
– "So, you want me to go on and share some stories?"
"Yes, exactly."
– "Sure, let's do it. I'm free tomorrow."
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
– "Inconvenience? I think it'll be fun. But Seo, can I bring my personal manager?"
"We've already arranged a manager for you from our side, noona..."
– "Oh, no need. I've already secured someone I'm comfortable with. You don't have to worry about it."
"...Thank you."
– "Thank me for what? See you tomorrow."
Just like that, the live broadcast appearance was secured, and the very next day, Yeonguijeong flew in from Jeju Island with her new manager.
"...I just started Eldritch Ring after playing only trash games..."
"I don't know, I told you to start with the good games."
The manager, who was hugging a guitar bag with a grumpy expression, turned out to be Yeonguijeong's husband, Nauri.
Although Nauri seemed to regret that his sweet vacation was over, Gunja was thrilled to reunite with his mentor.
"Sunbae-nim!"
Ever since he was gifted the mystical Hyang Bipa, Gunja hadn't skipped a single day of practice. He touched, played, and tuned the instrument daily to keep it in perfect condition.
"Wow, you really took good care of the bipa."
"Yes, Sunbae-nim gave me such a precious gift, so I've been very careful with it."
"Good job. Even though it's yours now, it's nice to see it's in good condition."
Even Nauri, who initially seemed reluctant about coming to Seoul, showed his characteristic warm smile when he saw Gunja and the Hyang Bipa.
"See? Isn't it nice to see the kids again?"
"Of course, it's nice. But Eldritch Ring..."
"Oh, mister! How old are you, still talking about games?"
"I'm 45..."
"Enough, just put a dot here for me."
"Here?"
"No, a bit lower."
"Okay."
"Oh, and can you appear on the broadcast for a bit?"
"Huh? Me? On an idol's live broadcast? Why?"
"You don't want to?"
"Of course, I don't!"
"Aren't you my husband?"
"So, what does that have to do with anything?"
"They're idols. What if there's a dating rumor about me?"
"Pfft, what a ridiculous..."
"Hey? You really don't get it, do you? Fans are really sensitive about relationships. You should be by my side so the fans feel reassured and think it's just a business relationship. Right?"
"Lee, I'm pretty sure no one will suspect anything."
"Confiscate the PS?"
"I'll appear. Do I just need to get makeup done too?"
As You-Go Woman transformed into Confucian Woman, the members of 7IN were also getting their makeup done, preparing for the live broadcast. Thanks to the announcement of the 7IN-Yeonguijeong joint broadcast, tens of thousands of viewers had already gathered on the broadcast channel.
