271: Chapter 251 The Birth of a Phenomenal Variety Show: The Double-Edged Sword of Shame and Glory

After the first episode of "twelve star envoys" officially aired, the online public opinion in South Korea seemed to have experienced an unprecedented entertainment earthquake.

On the night of the broadcast, keywords flooded the trending searches:

[#twelve star envoys Social Death Aesthetics#]

[#Kwon Eunbi Lion Charge Duck Punch#]

[#Jang Wonyoung Crown Aquarius 400,000 KRW#]

[#Choi Yena General Kitty Cat#]

[#Jiang Zhiyu Advertising Genius#]

Discussion threads on major forums sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain, and the click-through rates and reply counts soared at an astonishing speed. K-pop fan circles, variety show audiences, and even passersby who were originally uninterested in idol culture were all attracted by this "fantasy epic-level social death reality show".

Naver TV Top 100 variety show chart, topped the list upon premiere.

YouTube official channel, the full version of the first episode exceeded 20 million views in 24 hours.

Over 50,000 secondary creation clips on TikTok, and the #twelve star envoys Challenge# topic exceeded 1 billion views.

Viral Spread of Famous Scenes

"Lion Charge Duck Punch" Epic Awkwardness

Kwon Eunbi wearing the Lion headgear, singing "i love bathing" in the amusement park while using an inflatable hammer to repel "Soft Baby", was edited into various ghost-animal videos. The most popular version was set to "Symphony No. 5", with comments flooding the screen: "Tragic!", "The dignity of a lion!", "This variety show understands epic vibes!"

Jang Wonyoung's "Evolution History of the Water Bottle"

From dancing gracefully with the "Crown Aquarius" on her head, to being hoisted by a wire to gnaw on a three-meter giant pie, to calmly reciting "Seal Release" in the wood-attribute field—her "star spring messenger" image was repeatedly interpreted. Someone made a series of comparison images: "Jang Wonyoung on stage vs. Jang Wonyoung in the variety show", which had an astonishing number of reposts.

Choi Yena's "Adventure of the Blue General"

The Blue General Kitty Cat segment became one of the funniest parts of the whole show due to Choi Yena's improvisation when she tripped over her cape. Netizen comment: "This is the most lifeless general I have ever seen in a Korean variety show", "Yena: For the Lemm merchandise, I endure!"

Hardcore Aesthetics of Product Placement

Jiang Zhiyu's rhetoric about "Star Fragments empowering products" became a popular meme. The topic "Star Empowerment Today" even appeared on Twitter, with netizens posting "chuunibyou" photos of themselves using the same products from the show, with captions: "Use xx lipstick to summon a protective barrier!", "Drink xx beverage to gain fearless charge!"

Explosive Growth of Commercial Value

One week after the show aired, sales data of cooperative brands took off like a rocket:

Iceberg Source Crystal Mineral Water: The special edition "Crown Aquarius" featuring Jang Wonyoung sold out both online and offline, requiring emergency production.

Jufu Zhai Roast Duck: The "Double-Yellow Roast Duck Cannonball" gift box that appeared in the show became a new favorite for young people to give as gifts, with sales skyrocketing by 300% year-on-year.

orion pie: The phrase "I love eating orion pie the most—" was made into a mobile ringtone pack with over a million downloads.

Sponsor lipsticks, beverages, instant noodles, insoles... all implanted products, regardless of category, saw significant sales increases.

Even more astonishing were the individual endorsement invitations for the members.

Before the show aired, although IZ*ONE was a top girl group, there were differences in the members' individual commercial values. After the show aired—

Kwon Eunbi received endorsements for sports brands and games, and the "Lion Charge Duck Punch" meme was even continued in the commercials.

Jang Wonyoung became the spokesperson for high-end mineral water and skincare products, and the commercial director specially designed a subtle temperament of "elegance mixed with a touch of tragedy".

Choi Yena's endorsements for pet supplies and toys surged, and in the commercials, she smiled heartlessly while holding a Lemm pendant.

Kang Hye-won became a favorite for food endorsements, with the ad copy: "Can I summon the power of the stars after eating this?—No, but you can summon happiness!"

Yabuki Nako's endorsement for height-increasing insoles was shameful, but sales truly exploded, even sparking a social discussion on "cute height differences".

At the financial meetings of each member's agency, the CEOs couldn't stop smiling.

The Starship Entertainment representative reflected in an internal meeting: "I was worried about Wonyoung's image being damaged at first... Now it seems that PD Jiang has turned "social death" into a "memory point" and "shame" into "recognition"."

CJ ENM's senior management even directly listed "twelve star envoys" as the most successful collaboration project of the year, urging TG Entertainment to promote the second season as soon as possible.

A Vortex of Love and Hate

However, behind the huge commercial success, the mindset of each company was quite subtle.

On one hand, there were real profits.

Endorsement fees rose, profit-sharing ratios were generous, and the national popularity and buzz of their artists reached an unprecedented height. The number of IZ*ONE's fan clubs surged, and even audiences who were originally uninterested in K-pop began to pay attention to these girls who were "tragically real and funny in the variety show".

On the other hand, there was deep concern about the "idol image".

Traditional idol industries emphasize "perfection", "dreaminess", and "sense of distance", while "twelve star envoys" magnified the most awkward, disheveled, and "un-idol-like" sides of the members for the audience to see. Although the effect was excellent, what if it became difficult to transition later, or if the audience's impression became solidified?

This contradiction erupted in a multi-party coordination meeting led by CJ ENM.

Attendees included: representatives of agencies for each IZ*ONE member, the project manager from CJ ENM, and representatives from TG Entertainment—Jiang Zhiyu and Kim Soo-yeon.

The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy.

The representative from WM Entertainment spoke first: "We understand the success of the show, but An Yujin is portrayed as the "honest physical strength in charge", will this limit her future acting career? She has potential as an actress."

Starship representative nodded: "Wonyoung's "Aquarius Saintess" image is interesting, but she is, after all, our main "visual center", and long-term wearing an Aquarius bottle to do strange things..."

Woollim representative hesitated: "Chaewon's "gemini advertising genius" setting is very popular, but she is essentially a lead vocalist, we are worried..."

Jiang Zhiyu listened quietly to everyone's concerns until all the representatives had finished speaking, and then he slowly opened his mouth.

"I understand everyone's concerns." His voice was calm but carried an unquestionable confidence, "But I would like to ask everyone to think about a question: In today's information explosion era, what kind of idols can be remembered?"

The conference room quieted down.

"Not the prettiest, not the most perfect at singing and dancing, and not the most dreamy persona." Jiang Zhiyu stood up, walked to the whiteboard, and wrote down a few keywords:

Uniqueness. Memory point. Realism.

""twelve star envoys" did not do "damaging the image", but "creating dimensions"." He turned around, his eyes sweeping over everyone present, "Kwon Eunbi is the captain who commands the whole stage on stage, and in the variety show, she is the "Lionheart Sovereign" who wears a Lion headgear and sings nursery rhymes—this is not contradictory, but rather allows the audience to see her multifaceted nature."

"Jang Wonyoung is the most dazzling visual center on stage, and in the variety show, she is the "star spring messenger" who completes tasks with a water bottle on her head—this will not weaken her charm, but rather make her professional spirit more three-dimensional."

"Choi Yena is a vibrant happy virus on stage, and in the variety show, she is the "Pisces Sausage Saintess" who guest-stars as the Blue General Kitty Cat—this contrast is the extension of her personal charm."

Jiang Zhiyu paused for a moment, letting these words sink in.

"We are not destroying their original image, but adding new memory points on the basis of the original image." His tone became sincere, "The life cycle of an idol is limited. How to leave a sufficiently deep mark in a limited time? It doesn't rely on unchanging perfection, but the courage to break through and show the real side."

Kim Soo-yeon added data at the right time: "According to our market research, after the show aired, IZ*ONE's overall favorability rose by 42%, and the proportion of potential fans who "want to know more" increased by 67%. More importantly—the individual recognition of the members increased by an average of over 80%."

She called up the chart and projected it on the screen: "This is the keyword cloud about the members on social media. Before the show aired, "pretty", "cute", and "strong on stage" were high-frequency words; after the show aired, dimensions such as "interesting", "real", "contrast cute", and "professional" were added."

The representatives of each agency looked at the data, and their expressions gradually loosened.

Jiang Zhiyu finally said: "And, please rest assured, everyone. "twelve star envoys" is a variety show setting and will not affect the normal image of the members in other activities. They are still top girl groups when performing, fashion idols when shooting pictorials, and professional actors when acting. The "social death famous scenes" in the variety show will only become the most special and impressive stroke in their professional resumes."

He paused and revealed that iconic, slightly cunning smile:

"After all, being remembered by the audience with a smile is better than being forgotten, isn't it?"

After the meeting, the expressions of the representatives of each agency were significantly more relaxed.

The Starship representative whispered to a colleague in the hallway: "Although I still think it's a bit risky... but the data won't lie. And PD Jiang is right, Wonyoung's attitude of "although it's very shameful, I completed it seriously" in the show actually attracted a lot of passersby fans."

The WM representative nodded: "Yujin is the same, originally thought that "physical in charge" would seem clumsy, but the audience thinks she is reliable and down-to-earth."

The Woollim representative smiled bitterly: "Chaewon is now called "advertising genius", she even improvised a product rap during the live broadcast yesterday, and the audience's response was very good... Maybe we really should change our thinking."

And in the conference room, Kim Soo-yeon looked at Jiang Zhiyu and raised an eyebrow: "That sounded quite convincing."

Jiang Zhiyu shrugged: "It was the truth. The idol industry is evolving, and the audience's tastes are also evolving. A perfect mask is no longer enough. What everyone wants to see is—the story of "perfect idols who also have awkward moments, but even so, they are still working hard"."

Kim Soo-yeon was thoughtful: "So the essence of "twelve star envoys" is..."

"A large-scale, gorgeous, shameful—demonstration of professional spirit." Jiang Zhiyu laughed, "And the most successful kind."

Changes in the Members' Mindset

After the show became popular, the lives of the IZ*ONE members changed subtly.

Walking on the street, passersby would recognize them, but instead of shouting "so pretty", they would smile and shout: "Wonyoung-ah! Did you bring your water bottle today?" or: "Yena! Where is Lemm?"

At the autograph session, the photos handed over by fans were no longer simple photos, but merchandise of various famous scenes from the variety show: mini Lion headgear, Q-version water bottle pendants, General Kitty Cat stickers...

Once, when Choi Yena was live streaming, a fan gave her a super-large Lemm doll. She hugged the soft green creature and smiled until her eyes disappeared.

In private, the members also teased each other.

Kwon Eunbi watched her own "Lion Charge Duck Punch" ghost-animal video in the dormitory, covering her face and laughing: "How did I manage to perform that day..."

Although Jang Wonyoung said "this hatred is irreconcilable", when she found out that the sales of the mineral water she endorsed had broken records and the brand sent a thank-you gift, she still whispered: "...Forget it, for the sake of sales."

The most interesting thing is that they started to "play memes".

When An Yujin was asked to show "capricorn Power" at a fan meeting, she sighed and then made that shameful pose: "capricorn · Immovable Rock Rampart!"—the fans in the audience screamed and cheered.

When Kim Chaewon was asked about "gemini Split Skill" on a radio program, she smiled and replied: "Only one split out today, the other is resting." triggering laughter from the whole audience.

Even the shyest Kim Minju was teased by fans to shout "Libra · Fair Judgment" during a live broadcast. She blushed and recited it in a low voice, then immediately changed the subject—but that segment was clipped and became a new famous scene.

A New Chapter

The planning meeting for the second season of "twelve star envoys" was held on a sunny afternoon.

Jiang Zhiyu distributed the new proposal, and the cover read:

"twelve star envoys: Star Palace Reconstruction Project"

Subtitle: From Saving to Building, From Saintess to Goddess

Kwon Eunbi opened the proposal, her eyes gradually widening.

Jang Wonyoung saw the content, her expression changed from vigilance to surprise, and finally even carried a hint of... expectation?

Choi Yena read it out loud: "Stage 2, after the twelve star envoys have established a foothold in the mortal realm, they start to rebuild the Star Palace destroyed by the Star Demon? Everyone is responsible for the construction of one field? For example..."

She looked down and read:

"Kwon Eunbi: Lionheart Court—Establish a leadership training camp to cultivate the next generation of Star Envoys."

"Jang Wonyoung: Star Spring Holy Land—Create pure water sources and healing gardens."

"Choi Yena: Pisces Fantasy Workshop—Responsible for the entertainment and creative industries."

"An Yujin: capricorn Rock Fortress—Responsible for defense and engineering construction."

...

Each member has an exclusive "construction field", corresponding to their zodiac traits and performance in the show.

More importantly—the "shameful challenge" of this season will be upgraded to a "professional challenge".

Jiang Zhiyu explained: "The first season was "survival", the second season is "development". You are no longer saintesses fleeing in embarrassment, but goddesses rebuilding their homeland. The tasks will be harder, but—the sense of accomplishment will also be stronger."

He paused and looked at everyone:

"And, the product placement in this season will be deeply integrated with your "construction fields". For example, Wonyoung's Star Spring Holy Land will cooperate with environmental protection and health brands; Yena's Fantasy Workshop will link with cultural and creative and entertainment industries... It will no longer be hard-core sales, but brand storytelling."

The conference room was quiet for a few seconds.

Then, Kwon Eunbi raised her hand first: "I'll participate."

Jang Wonyoung was silent for a moment and nodded: "...I'll participate too."

Choi Yena jumped up excitedly: "Pisces Fantasy Workshop! Sounds super fun!"

An Yujin sighed: "Although I know it will definitely be exhausting again... but forget it, let's participate."

One after another, twelve hands were raised.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at them, his smile warm and real:

"Then, the second season—"twelve star envoys: Star Palace Reconstruction Project", officially launched."

The sun outside the window was just right, shining into the conference room, casting bright light spots on everyone's faces.

Those "social death famous scenes" that once made them cringe so hard they could dig a floor with their toes are now the most unique medals in their careers. And new challenges are waiting ahead.

When Jang Wonyoung walked out of the conference room, she looked back at Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu winked at her.

She turned her head and gave a small "hum", but the corners of her mouth rose slightly in an almost invisible arc.

Perhaps, this feeling of love and hate is the most real gift that this absurd and wonderful variety show left for them—and the audience.