‘Why are we so close…?’
The college student’s question was valid.
In fact, other spinoff groups like Ailee’s usually had their members decided only when the survival project group was formed.
Meanwhile, Do-hee, on screen, let out a pondering sound as she stepped in front of the camera.
[Do-hee: Hmm… So, who should I introduce first?]
[Seo-yoon: Hey, wait a sec.]
[Do-hee: Yes?]
[Seo-yoon: Why are you introducing?]
[Do-hee: Ah, should Na-eun Unni do it?]
[Seo-yoon: No? I’m going to do it. Let me try the leader role too. I can do it well.]
The absurd response came with the classic narration of life dramas.
[• Both are eagerly vying for the leader position.]
─ Why do they both act the same way even when the group changes? LOL
─ There’s consistency here! LOL
[Chiyo: Me too! I want to try!]
[• Three?]
─ You too? LOL
As Na-eun sighed while removing her mask, the three began to play rock-paper-scissors on their own.
It felt extremely natural, just like everyday life.
[Chiyo: Why are you so good at rock-paper-scissors?]
[Do-hee: Enough, go ahead.]
Everyone accepted defeat sharply.
[• Finally, it’s Debonaire introduction time.]
[Do-hee: First, Seo-yoon Unni, come here.]
[Seo-yoon: What, am I introducing myself first? I’m the final boss here.]
[Do-hee: Shouldn’t we introduce the image representing our Topist first?]
[Seo-yoon/Topist’s Face: Ah~ That’s true.]
[• Likes it]
[Do-hee: When you think of Topist, you think of beagle charm. Yes, let’s have Seo-yoon Unni introduce herself first.]
[Seo-yoon/Topist’s Representative Dog: No, I’m totally calm.]
─ Ah~ So you’re talking about the chaotic dog, huh?
─ It’s not on a beagle level…
─ But Do-hee, you’re also representing that side.
[Do-hee: So, how old is Seo-yoon Unni?]
Seo-yoon was about to answer but Do-hee quickly opened her mouth.
[Do-hee: Yes, she’s 21 years old. It’s been a year since she became an adult. Oh, these days she pretends to drink sometimes at the dorm, being an adult and all. But even if she brings it to her lips, the amount doesn’t decrease. Just a childish taste.]
[Seo-yoon: …?]
[• Flustered Seo-yoon.]
─ LOL So sudden?
─ It’s obvious Seo-yoon is teasing Do-hee about alcohol, right? LOL
─ At 18, it’d be a curious age for alcohol! LOL
─ Wow… It’s remarkable how the height and mid difference show… Do-hee is the older sister.
[Do-hee: Anyway, Seo-yoon Unni, what position do you hold in the group?]
[Seo-yoon: …Well. I’m the ma…]
The moment Seo-yoon opened her mouth to answer…
[Do-hee: Yes. Main Vocal. This Unni can actually sing well. She’s born for it.]
Seo-yoon glared at Do-hee, but she nodded at the compliment that followed.
[Seo-yoon: We match well today.]
[Do-hee: That’s enough. Please go back now.]
[Seo-yoon: …? Is it over?]
Do-hee checks an imaginary wristwatch.
[Do-hee: There’s no time. You better win at rock-paper-scissors.]
[Seo-yoon: Huh…]
[• Listens well.]
─You’re quick to accept defeat in competitions, huh? LOL
Do-hee turns her head to scan the waiting list.
[Do-hee: Next is…]
Chiyo wildly waving her hands and making a strong appeal with her whole body.
─Given Do-hee’s personality, she’ll probably deliberately not pick her.
─For real.
As expected in the chat, the member Do-hee brought was not Chiyo but the eldest sister, Na-eun.
Chiyo is faintly captured in the blurred camera angle, glaring at Do-hee, just as Na-eun’s introduction starts with the subtitle [Calmly Continuing Self-Introduction].
[Na-eun: Hello, I’m Na-eun, the leader and lead vocal of Debonaire.]
[Do-hee: I’m 23 years old! That’s a 5-year difference between us.]
─Huh? Was that a hint of malice in Na-eun’s eyes…?
─Oh no, Do-hee!
Fortunately, unlike when she introduced Seo-yoon, Do-hee started enthusiastically praising Na-eun.
[Do-hee: First of all, our Na-eun Unni is perfect in every aspect, works hard, but is also unbelievably kind.]
The camera shifts with Do-hee’s praises in the background, capturing Na-eun who’s momentarily shy.
[Do-hee: She always gives up her place for her younger siblings and takes care of them. She makes sure we eat, peels fruit while I play the piano, and even gives us rides.]
─What…? There’s such a character in Topist?
─She brings snacks and drinks…? Even for Do-hee and Seo-yoon…?
Before they knew it, Seo-yoon had joined Chiyo and was glaring at Do-hee with crossed arms.
[Seo-yoon: How about we just introduce ourselves?]
[Chiyo: Just wait a little longer.]
─LOL Why are you so cute?
Woo-ah waves her hand to the camera, seemingly not caring at all.
[Do-hee: Anyway, I guarantee that this is the official angel of Debonaire.]
─Huh?
─Hmm…
Woo-ah, who was waving her hand, also crossed her arms with a rather peculiar expression.
─LOL Woo-ah says she isn’t?
─Our Do-hee is definitely a baby angel^^
[Do-hee: Did you like my introduction for Na-eun Unni?]
[Na-eun: …you’re praising yourself in the end?]
[Do-hee (the sharp youngest): Due to time constraints, let’s move on to the next person.]
Chiyo, who had been glaring, waved her hand again and put on a fake bright smile.
[Do-hee: Okay. Chiyo Unni, come here.]
As she stood in front of the camera, Chiyo, feeling shy, covered her face.
[Do-hee: Don’t act shy.]
[Chiyo: Aww… I’m so shy…]
[Do-hee: Then you won’t get to introduce yourself.]
[Chiyo (the shy one): Oh? Then I’ll do it myself! Hello! I’m Chiyo! I’m 20 years old!]
[• Perfect transition.]
─LOL What is this?
─She said she was shy, LOL
Seeming to be interrupted, Do-hee tried to introduce her right away.
[Do-hee: Chiyo Unni is…]
[Chiyo: Hey! I’m the rapper in Debonaire. You wouldn’t believe it, but my pronunciation is on point when I rap. Mic check, one-two, one-two.]
[Do-hee: Ah, don’t.]
─Random boxing in the middle of a mic check, LOL.
─Suddenly Do-hee becomes a punching bag, ROFL.
Transition to an interview scene.
Only three of the members are sitting in front of the camera, while there’s some playful noise off-screen.
─???
─LOL, what’s that?
[• These members have a good relationship.]
As the screen returned to normal, Do-hee, holding Chiyo Unni’s arms tightly, continued the introduction.
[Do-hee: The amazing thing about our Chiyo Unni is that even though she’s Japanese, her pronunciation in Korean and English becomes really good when she raps. It’s almost magical to see.]
[Chiyo: I just want to say one thing…]
─LOL, looks like Do-hee has her under control.
─Is this even girl group content? ROFL.
[Do-hee: Yes, go ahead.]
[Chiyo: I’m not that bad at Korean, right?]
[Do-hee: Of course!]
[Chiyo: Maybe that’s why everyone adds a Korean surname to my name.]
A moment of silence.
Subtitles appear under Chiyo.
[Kim Chiyo (20 years old, Korean)]
─Kim Chiyo, no way, LOL.
─I think I get the team color of Debonaire now…
─This girl’s really lost it, ROFL.
Back to the interview scene.
In the front seats are Chiyo and Na-eun, while the rest of the members sit around on the practice room floor.
[PD: Which Kim family do you belong to, Chiyo?]
Suddenly, Chiyo pulls out the Andong Hahoe Mask and puts it on her face.
[Chiyo: I’m from the Andong Kim family.]
Na-eun beside her clutched her head in resignation.
[Real Andong Kim descendant/Kim Na-eun: Chiyo, we agreed to keep that nickname just between us…]
[(Kim) Chiyo: Did I mess up?]
─No way, LOL, Japanese nickname Kim Chiyo.
─Forget her being Japanese, it’s a whole mess if a girl group member’s nickname is Kimchi, LOL.
─Na-eun being a real Andong Kim is even funnier, hahahaha.
─There’s someone more off than Ra-hee and Seo-yoon, ROFL.
Meanwhile, the other members are busy chatting in the back.
[Woo-ah: Which Kim family are you from, Unni?]
[Seo-yoon: I’m from the Kim family of Gimhae.]
[Do-hee: Just say you’re from the Andong Kim family next time. That’s more fun.]
[Seo-yoon: I’ll ask Dad about it.]
[• They are really serious about this variety show.]
─Ra-hee, are you alright? ROFL.
─Why are we suddenly talking about family lineages? LOL.
─What’s the point of asking Dad? ROFL.
Usually, the laughter of the production staff gets edited out of [Idol Human Theater], but this time it returned to the practice room with a loud burst of laughter from the staff.
Pretending nothing happened, the members maintain an everyday expression to lighten the mood.
The camera zoomed in on Woo-ah, who had the most innocent expression.
Do-hee’s arm came into the camera angle, wrapping around Woo-ah’s waist and pulling her forward.
[• The youngest sparks a lead towards the long-awaited Woo-ah.]
And now we begin to understand why the members, who seemed so close, puzzled the female college fan.
The reason why the members seem very close is starting to come out.
[Do-hee: Before I introduce Woo-ah Unni, I just want to say that we’ve all known each other for a long time, right?]
[Woo-ah: Right?]
[Do-hee: Na-eun Unni and Seo-yoon Unni joined in 2019, I joined in 2018…]
─ So, the longest-serving trainee started at 11 years old…
─ So Seo-yoon and Na-eun are the same cohort.
─ Now I understand why Na-eun looks after the kids so well. From Na-eun’s perspective, Do-hee’s first impression was like a 5th grader, yikes!
Meanwhile, the camera quietly captured the three chatting in the back.
[Seo-yoon: When I first saw her, she was 12 and trying to act all senior and give advice, and she was cute and pretty… But these days, that kid, ugh…]
[Na-eun: Ugh, don’t say that. She’s still nice.]
[Chiyo: She was at least cute when she was 14… Now she’s totally lost her way… Agh…]
─ Real friend vibes, lol.
─ Can you imagine 12-year-old Do-hee trying to give advice? That would be super cute…
─ Chiyo’s vocabulary is totally that of a Korean, lol.
─ Wow, just doing the math, Chiyo has been training for 4 years, no kidding! Why is Topist’s training period like this?
─ Now I see why they’re so good on stage.
As new facts come out, the chat room is rapidly filling up.
[Do-hee: Some people misunderstand me as the longest-serving trainee, but actually, Woo-ah Unni has been training a few months longer than me. We joined the same year, though.]
[Woo-ah: Right~ Do-hee got street cast later. Remember? She couldn’t dance at all at first but was great at piano.]
[Do-hee: Hey!]
─ Wow, so both of them are in their 8th year?
─ Everyone has really been around for a long time.
[Do-hee: Anyway, the conclusion is that our Woo-ah Unni not only has a good personality but, after a long training period, is an incredibly versatile and highly skilled main dancer. And last but not least, I’m the center, Lee Do-hee!]
Do-hee gave a thumbs up towards the camera to wrap up her intro.
[Do-hee: Okay, intro done!]
But it wasn’t over, as the two popped up from behind.
[Seo-yoon: No, using the word “center” doesn’t do you justice.]
[Chiyo: Let me explain it thoroughly. Really carefully.]
As Do-hee grew anxious with their enthusiasm, she waved her arms dramatically.
[Do-hee: No, I’m good. I don’t need it.]
[Seo-yoon: Lee Do-hee! Ah~ she has the habit of sometimes treating Unni like a dongsaeng.]
[Chiyo: Right! That’s exactly what I’m saying! If Unni teaches you, you should say thank you! Chatter chitchat! Korea is known as the land of courtesy, you know!]
[Do-hee: What, since when are you Japanese going on about courtesy?]
[Chiyo: I’m Kim Chiyo!]
[Do-hee: Wait… Was I wrong at all? It’s all for the unnis to do well~ Enough! Enough! Stop!]
Trying to extract herself from the two, Do-hee made a move, but they grabbed her arms.
[Seo-yoon: Hmph! Look at this! Trying to act tough again? Huh!]
[Chiyo: Today, I’m going to give you a good talking-to! You do think of me as Unni, right?]
The focus of the camera slowly shifted to the back.
Woo-ah sat comfortably on the sofa, leisurely watching, while Na-eun sighed heavily.
[• The unique daily life of a debonaire.]
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