162 - Upki Girl

< We Apologize, We Take Full Responsibility > In the fandom of Upky Girl, there exists a unique language known as "Up Speak." Among the fan community, this specialized vocabulary is used to communicate and share their nuanced understanding of the group's dynamics. At one point, a devoted fan who frequently attended fan meetings compiled a comprehensive glossary of this Up Speak, which quickly climbed to the top of the fan cafe's popular posts and was even commemorated for its insight. <Up Speak Dictionary> * Bit-chin-girl, Se-chin-girl, Hong-chin-girl, Al-chin-girl: A fusion of a member’s name and “crazy girl,” these terms are used affectionately by fans when a member behaves wildly during TV appearances or fan events. ―Example: “Look at Bit-chin-girl going off again!”, “Someone try to rein in Se-chin-girl!” etc... ―This expression does not apply to Yona, known for her rational mindset and behavior. However, Yona has her unique Up Speak term. * Yo-Dogirl: An abbreviation meaning ‘Yona may seem aloof to outsiders, but she’s warm to Upky Girl fans.' * Yonna’s Day: Though Yona is typically a composed leader, akin to a zen master, there are rare occasions where she loses it with the group. This term marks such days. ‘Yonna’s Day’ is famously considered awe-inspiring even to Eun Silveriya. * Up-chin-girls: When a "Yonna’s Day" occurs, it's like all of Upky's unleashed members are in full chaotic mode. * Upgrade: A blend of Upky Girl and beagle, signifying an amplified, mischievous energy. * Myuno: Head manager of Upky Girl, Kim Yunho; derived from "Gimappno" as called by the youngest member, Jin La-ey. * Upduong-i: A nickname fans use affectionately for Upky Girl. * Up-dung-i: Used scornfully by some outsiders, comparing overly enthusiastic Upky Girl fans to obnoxious pests. * Upky-sal melts: Describes moments at fan sign events when, driven by competitive spirit, the members’ fan service becomes overwhelming and endearing. Fans are simply to enjoy these moments. * Up-bong: Derived from nation-induced intoxication terms; used when Upky Girl excels or carries a show. ―Example: "Kiaaaa! Myuno, a hit of Up-bong over here!" * We Apologize: Apologies, both for being fans of Upky Girl or when they go over-the-top on shows, prompting a desire to hide in embarrassment. Used as the opposite of "Up-bong." ――――――――――――――― The second round of the 'Replay Girl' competition, titled the Role Model Mission, unfolded as a growth drama beginning with 'We apologize' and concluding with 'Kia! Drunk on Up-bong!' Post-broadcast, the portal's hot clips were instantly inundated with comments praising the girls' performances. ―vksdl1: This tension is why I stan them ㅠ Congrats on winning the first mission, our Upduong-i! ―gwangin1999: ★Se-won shines and for me, Yeon Hong is the truth★ ―Shipalsekki Hong: Hong Kardashian was killer today. Eat all eighteen buns and keep the energy at sixty! ―Dpa: That was some intense back-and-forth lol. The interview scared me, but the performance blew me away. ―Hiru Bangul: Dance Liya Jinliya, please take me ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ ㄴKaru An: Where are you taking her? ㄴparadies72: hahaha ㄴAsdf1020: hahahahaha ㄴGeom Da Geom: Ah, this hahahaha ㄴCheonma Seuseung: Riyaa audio support hahaha ―devil1534: Thank you to the stylist, hair, and makeup staff! Our girls looked stunning today. ―Cheonho Pajangmoon: The charismatic Cervicorn shone again today. ―dkssid99: Congrats to Yony Leader on the win! Yona Yonna yay pretty♡ ―Geunyangtoki: I feared devilish editing, but thanks for nailing the stage. ―Gom Daramjwi: Every day a peak renewed! ―Sasang Gasu Se-won: Obsessed fox Han Se-won’s singing excels, but today her beauty worked overtime, her dancing was also stunning. True beauty can’t defeat a nerd-loving heart, and a fandom can’t overpower the masses. It was Upky Girl who frequently topped conversations among casual viewers, not just specific fans. Han Aliya’s words held truth when noting that no matter the streaming strength of an idol fandom, chart-topping inevitably belonged to Yoon Jongshin Ajo. Although a slightly bitter hint emerged from missing the top spot due to heavy editing of eye contact moments, and some grumbling from other fans about unexpectedly high scores given harsh critiques, Upky Girl transcended the editing controversy from their first appearance to truly prove their talent. Even a glance at the real-time 'Replay Girl' forum showed that not only passionate teenage fans but also competitive hits like Teens and Lovewon were part of a rightful underdog uprising. A new term quickly joined the Up Speak board, deeply immersed in Up-bong. * Up-Derdog: An amalgam of Upky Girl and underdog, indicating that Upky Girl’s audition participation disregards their level of recognition. We know this is just the beginning. Beyond talent, dedicated performances at athletic events with a splash of humor, and receiving high praises for “changing song missions” in the first round all herald the coming golden age of Upky Girl. Aiming for the top spot in the upcoming “Judge’s Song Mission” will be greatly reinforced since original composer Raye Na expressed that the integration of stage set-up and arrangement fits perfectly with Upky Girl’s finesse. Famed for her casual and straightforward manner akin to a neighborhood elder sister yet with no pretense, she hypothesized that unless another team rapidly grows or gets awakened, Upky Girl's dominance would be difficult to interrupt. I quite agree. In terms of aura theory, among over a hundred participants, only about three or four possessed an eye-catching aura. With titles like "the Five Great Nerds" and "the Rising Visual Trio," many trainees carried grandiose epithets. Yet, their actual presence and aura often fell short of these high expectations. If we consider Yona as Tier 1 before she dyed her hair purple, the ranks would look something like this: Tier 1: Yona, Maequeens Eugene, GIG Hyejin Tier 2: Teenagers Lua, Hayu, Yourgirl Mini, Maequeens Taeeun, Pramis12 Nakyeong, Love1 Seojin Tier 3: Pramis12 Haneul (needs more effort!), Pink Candy Useoyeon, Love1 Ara, and four others There were certainly many trainees from well-known companies, but aside from these select individuals, even those who managed to rise temporarily often faded into obscurity soon after—a harsh fate much like fleeting SNS stars. Now that I reflect, within Upky Girl, the only member with a truly distinct aura is Yona. I wonder what kind of aura the other four would have if not marked by that particular purple hue. On the third performance stage two days later... “Special judge Kang Hyunchan, how did you find Upky Girl’s stage?” “I watched their last performance from home. It was so impressive it shocked me—I thought it would be the pinnacle, but wow... this performance outdid their previous one. One wonders just where the limits of this team are. As a fellow musician, it’s almost intimidating, and I feel a touch of envy. Despite the gender difference, I'm genuinely jealous.” “That’s high praise indeed. Let’s hear from the original composer, La Yena, who observed Upky Girl’s practice process.” “As Hyunchan mentioned, I felt similar emotions. You know the saying: under one sky, there cannot be two suns. If I were active and competing in the same era as these children, I wonder if I could have reached the same heights. I’m sure my position and image would overlap with Yona's, and I’d end up as a lesser version of her.” Oh, La Yena, truly lamenting? While everyone's looks and charms are different and can't be compared by set standards, considering La Yena's distinctive aura and prowess at her peak, she should be compared to LIMY standing next to Yona. LIMY, trained under a major company's systematic training, is a classically skilled dance singer excelling in both vocals and dance, whereas La Yena, albeit lacking in formal training, compensated with her natural charisma and unique attitude as a show performer. Her talent level resembled that of first-generation idols cast purely for their looks back in the '90s. Among Upky Girl’s exceptionally talented members, there’s none exactly like La Yena. “The judges’ score for Upky Girl has just arrived. Currently, Teenagers is in first place with an average score of 89.4 for singing Jason's ‘Virgo.’ Let’s reveal Upky Girl’s score now!” Once again, Upky Girl took the stage last. The judges’ feedback already hinted at the disparity. It was just a question of how many points they won by. ‘93.3’ “Once again, the champion is the girl group Upky Girl, nurtured by Replay Girl! They now hold a four-win streak, triumphing in the teaser performance mission, role model mission, and song swap mission!” “Wow, what team can halt Upky Girl’s solo march at this rate? It’s not Replay Girl but Up Play Girl!” Indeed, it seems so. You people, know your limits, know your limits. When you keep getting first place, you start to see it as a right. *** “Yes, Ayoon.” ―Oppa, sorry, can we push tomorrow’s meeting by an hour? Today’s interview got postponed to tomorrow. “Oh, sure. So, 7 o'clock?” ―Yes, sorry about that. “It’s fine, don’t worry.” ―I’ll treat you to something delicious to make up for it. “Hehehe, alright then.” ―Where are you now? “Oh, I'm at the studio recording Replay Girl mission tracks with the kids.” ―I see~ Oh, right, oppa. “Yes?” ―Wasn't it your sister-in-law who set this up? “Yes. A friend of Ayoon’s senior is my sister-in-law.” ―Haha, originally, my friend was supposed to go, you know. “Oh, really?” ―Yes, but things worked out again with her ex, so I ended up going instead. “Well, if it weren’t for my sister-in-law arranging it, I probably wouldn’t have gone either. I had so many blind dates last year that I fell into a bit of a rut.” ―I see~ Alright, good luck, and see you tomorrow. “Yeah, take care.” The recording studio was in the basement. The call was made from the parking lot in front of the building on the first floor. “Brr, it’s cold.” As I hung up and turned around. “Who were you on the phone with?” Gulp! “Oh, you startled me. Why are you out here?” “You didn’t bring your coat, so I thought Jjamjjam might be cold, and Aliya brought it out.” Unrequested behaviors sometimes. Since when was he here? Did he overhear the call? “Oh, thanks, thanks. Let’s head inside.” I tried to brush it off while putting on the coat handed to me. “Who were you talking to?” There was no brushing it off. “Hmm? Oh, um, the Maxim editor.” “But.” “But what?” Where exactly did this brat hear from? He always tests the waters in this roundabout way instead of just asking directly. Since finishing the call with Jung Ayoon, I began recounting the conversation backward. Ugh, just before the call ended, the topic of the blind date came up. I decided to directly broach the topic. “How much did you hear?” “From, ‘Yes, Ayoon,’ onwards.” “What, so you heard everything.” “Yup. I followed right out so Jjamjjam wouldn’t freeze. So, going on a blind date, Jjamjjam?” "Uh, well... At Kim Gyudon’s birthday party, my sister-in-law kept prodding me to go, so..." "Then why did you lie about it being the Maxim editor? Are you asking for trouble?" "Ah, well, it's just that..." I explained the series of events that led to this situation. "Interesting." "Yeah, I suppose..." "You don’t need to act all jittery. Aliya understands these things. You’re of an age where your family probably pressures you to marry quickly. Being busy is one thing but handling important matters like these is another." Wow. Sometimes this kid acts so mature, I don’t know how to respond. "I won’t tell the other members, so be careful and discreet." "Oh, thanks." "Is the person nice? The Maxim editor?" "Well, the first impression wasn’t bad, but who knows? My sister-in-law doesn’t usually set me up with just anyone, though..." "Okay. Now, when you go out, don’t do anything strange like last time." "What do you mean, strange?" "Like the silly things you did with Jaehee." "What the—how much do you know? Don’t tell me you’re spying on my phone." "What do you take me for? So what happened with Jaehee? Did it end?" "Well... we still keep in touch because of the Maequeens and Replay Girl stuff, but things aren’t like they used to be. It got awkward after we couldn’t meet." "Suwon seems to keep in contact with her." "Oh, really? I didn’t know." "Are you upset, Jjamjjam? You liked Jaehee, didn't you? Did those fun activities." Hmm... How much should I divulge to this kid...? But Ri-ya has a surprisingly cool side about these things, so I decided to be honest. "Well... saying she hasn’t crossed my mind would be a lie... I don’t know. We didn’t start with any clear intentions. Maybe Jaehee was just in it for fun. She seemed pretty casual about it, too." "Alright. Anyway, I won’t tell the others, so do well on your date. Don’t worry your parents." "Uh, but you’re really not tapping my phone anymore, right?" "With my personality, if I say I’m not, then I’m not. Do you really have to doubt me like this?" "Alright, thanks for understanding." "I'm pretty loyal when it comes to things like this." *** Loyalty, my foot. “I said it once, I won’t, my foot.” "...What? Why, why are you all here...? All five of you...?” "We heard you were going on a blind date, so we came to observe. Hi, unnie!" “Oh, Se-won, hi.” Aliya, that little rascal... She brought all the Upky Girl members to the café where I was meeting Jung Ayoon. "Leaving you by the river seemed worrisome, so we came together." Jung Ayoon must be absolutely bewildered by this scene, even if she’s hiding it well. I apologize, I take full responsibility, Ayoon... < We Apologize, We Take Full Responsibility > End