she was still so short back then and her hair were always in pigtails
her hair was black, her hair was still virgin
she still thinks her outfits and everything were so bad
anyways
rory was VERY quiet this era
but not because of the boys
no, no
these eight were very close
even when chenle and renjun joined later
it was because of knetz/fans
she tried her very best not to get on sns during this whole era because she knew people would be upset that she was the only girl in an all boy group
but sometimes she didn't even have to, instead getting mail from those who didn't like her or the times when some were bold enough to say it to her face
of course, the boys protected her from it
however she did have some fans! she had three fansites from the start which made her glad bc she didn't want to be embarrassed and not have any ... unlike the others DLDFN
'ENCHANTED' (who was actually a male fansite!), 'ROAR', and 'RISING MOON'
she wasn't very comfortable dancing in her skirt but she figured she'd just have to deal with it
especially because the stylists wouldn't let her wear shorts like the boys
sigh
but nct dream and red velvet's promotions clashed this era!! she got to see her red velvet unnies more which was probably the most excited nctzens had seen her yet
red velvet made her sing some of russian roulette btw
fans went crazy bc they knew she was supposed to debut in red velvet
she got to meet blackpink!! her and nari became really close despite the age difference
she loved being on the hoverboards though
she found them so cool
and was very glad she never fell off of them in public
she still has her hoverboard btw
she was mostly around mark or haechan during this era while they were out in public
creating the markhyuckri ship. and markri. nd hyuckri/haecheri
long term best friends wbk
if only she was in 127 sigh but girlie is 01 line its unacceptable
one fansite opened up for her towards the end of this era, named 'DOLL' but closed in 2018 :( rip DOLL we miss you you were good to baby rory
jaemin would baby her a lot and
haechan kept climbing ALL OVER HER LIKE ??? boy give her some space
overall she was just very glad to be debuting finally but she wasn't happy about how fans were treating her
she could do boy group dances just as well
and her voice actually did fit in well with the boys, too
thats why they put her in nct dream
ngl although she knew, deep down in her heart she deserved to be there and that she was put in dream for a reason, she was still a 16 year old girl who was hurt at the insults hurled at her
so of course the hate got to her
but she always had her members and red velvet!! <3
This is Vice’s first ISAC since enlistment and they show up knowing damn well that they are one of the oldest groups that are attending.
But if you think they’re just going to let these new kids walk all over them and win every category, they have another thing coming.
So they come in wearing their dark green velvet sweatpants with black shirts underneath and their lightsticks (a green apple with a bite taken out of it) by their sides. They mean business.
Kind of… Honestly, their only goal for today is to come in first for at least ONE category. Their biggest goal is to at least make 4th generation fans realize their charms and meme-like personalities.
They don’t really have any friends there except for Mijoo from Lovelyz… who’s Ji’s ex so… He’s just trying to avoid her for today because he’s not ready to reunite with her just yet.
They run into NCT 127, who they’re not close with, but their label mates, Triptych, are extremely close to them. They just stopped by to say hello and make some small talk.
Minho may or may not have sized Johnny up just because he’s protective of Nia & knows about all their drama.
VICE is known for being a brotherly group towards younger artists so it’s really no surprise when they went around to the younger groups and introduced themselves.
Like they went up to the younger rookie girl groups (notably ITZY, Cherry Bullet, and Everglow) and were like “listen, if any of these boys make you feel uncomfortable today, you let us know we’ll take care of it.”
And they also approached 1THE9 and accidentally adopted them? Like every time they thought 1THE9 looked lonely, they would walk over and start talking to them and brought snacks and water for the younger boys?? The purest of interactions.
OKAY NOW ONTO THE SPORTS.
Seokyu has the PUBG category IN THE BAG.
He’s a big fan of video games, so when he found out ISAC was hosting a PUBG event he nearly lost his mind and dedicated many hours to practice… meaning he didn’t leave his room for a few days.
He annihilated his competition, placing first. His win surprised many people, but hey, he came to win.
Ji wanted to try the Equestrian category out, but the company was concerned that he’d injure himself so they signed him up for track and field, arguably the most harmless of the sports.
Ji’s talented at a lot of things, but running is not one of them. He lost, coming in at last place. He also got an earful from Minho and Geonwu, who both reminded him that the other idols were probably laughing at him and calling him an old man (they weren’t, Geonwu and Minho just like riling him up).
Woodam took on both the archery and wrestling categories.
He did pretty well at the wrestling matches, but he also went extremely easy on the competition, as they were all idols who were much younger than him. He even faked getting the wind knocked out of him for the sake of the younger idol’s image.
Woodam, Minho, and Geonwu all tried archery. Geonwu was probably the best at this sport. Minho was easily the worst, even though he played it off like he knew what he was doing throughout the competition.
Needless to say that they placed a pretty low score. They didn’t come dead last, but they certainly weren’t close to winning.
Kane and Ji were partners for the bowling event. Surprisingly enough, Kane carried the team. They didn’t make it to the number one spot, but they were in the top 5. Kane plays a lot of Wii Sports.
It was insufferably hot inside the gymnasium so, during breaks, Vice would ask their staff members to hand out cold waters to Virtues. They also made snack boxes and lunch boxes for their fans which were distributed.
Since they didn’t have many friends here today, they spent their time mostly rebuilding their relationship with Virtues, as they missed them while they were doing service.
At the end of the day, Vice was exhausted and over-heated but they were happy that they got to make their Virtues happy and that they got to meet some of the new talents in the industry.
However, once they got in the car with their manager, they told him that they’d rather not attend another ISAC unless older, 3rd Gen groups would be participating as well.
The minute Haeun stepped out of the company car, the back door of the building swung open, revealing Li Rushi, who came running over to Haeun at lightning speed. The Chinese trainee lifted Haeun up off her feet in a bear hug.
“I missed your dumb ass! I couldn’t wait for you to get home!” Rushi expressed, her words muffled by Haeun’s shoulder.
“It’s not like I got eliminated or anything.” Haeun said dryly, even though there was a grin on her face. Rushi frowned at her friend, placing the shorter girl down.
“It wasn’t meant to be, but that’s okay. On the bright side, we can debut together now.” Rushi gave a Cheshire smile, squeezing her friend’s shoulders. “Now c’mon, I’ll help you unpack and get you up to speed what’s been happening while you’ve been gone.”
Haeun nodded and followed her friend into the dorms. Even if she was eliminated from Mix+Match, it felt right to be back home with her best friend and fellow trainees.
palette (팔레트) is a south korean girl group who debuted in 2019 by oui entertainment. oui entertainment is home to soloist kim donghan and x1 member, kim yohan. this is the company’s first girl group.
A purely instrumental/ambient track that was produced and composed by One, Teo, and Van.
"DARE is an album that feels close to getting punched in the gut… Some things that are discussed in this album are not topics that your average idol group sings about. This intro is your airbag.”- ONE
"DARE is no joke. The introduction track is supposed to give you just a taste of what’s to come. We took elements from stand-out tracks like DARE, RED RUM, and THE INVITATION and made it into one short and sweet sample.”- TEO
“Our group has always gotten criticisms. A lot of people dislike that we are very… open about who we are and what we believe in. Not many idols are as outspoken as we are, which is fine, of course. But we want to inspire people with our music to stand up against injustices and wrongs that we see. They need bravery, and we’re more than happy to give them that.”- VAN
DARE:
The title track is the second ever song in Triptych’s discography to feature all 18 members. The song calls out the injustices in society (including unfair police treatment, prejudice against the LGBT, sexual assault cases, to name a few). The track was written by members Nia, Asa, Cal, Teo, and Eli. It was produced and composed by One, Sun, Van, and Sol.
“We feel like people will gossip about something serious for a few days and then forget about it once it’s lost its shock value. This track, in my eyes, is supposed to help people realize that in order to see change, we need to take charge. And that’s what we want to do. This song is a risky move… We could tarnish our reputation with this song. But is it worth it if it gets people talking? I think so.”- NIA
“This is the most politically driven song we have ever made. We’ve talked about gender roles, we’ve talked about general societal standards… but I don’t think we’ve ever been this blunt before. It’s sure to give the older generations a bit of a shock. I can’t wait to see the reaction.”- CAL
“[DARE is] going to be a game changer, I think. I don’t know how to word this correctly without sounding too boastful, but I think our music usually makes an impact in the K-Pop community one way or another. However, I don’t think anyone will ever take an idol group seriously. We hope to change that with this song and other songs on this album.”- ELI
WE ARE:
Featuring all 18 members, this song was written by members Ame, Teo, Fin, Van, Jin, and Eli. With EDM and pop influences, this track explores what it means to truly put aside your pride and be who you want to be.
“There’s a lot of pressure these days to fit in, especially with things like social media being a huge part in people’s lives. I think that people just need to be reminded that at the end of the day, fitting in isn’t all that matters. Being popular isn’t going to make you happy down the line, wearing designer clothing will only make you happy as long as it fits you. Fitting a mold shouldn’t be what people strive for. Fitting into yourself is what truly matters.”- AME
“When I wrote this, I not only had our younger and teenage Artychs in mind, but I also thought a lot about our own maknaes.Our youngest member is currently nineteen, and even though that’s not a child, they still are constantly feeling pressure to conform to what an idol should be. They haven’t been in the game as long as us, so I think some of the lyrics are for our maknae line to learn from.”- JIN
“I’ve always struggled with trying to be someone else that other people liked. If there’s one thing that plagued my teenage years, it was the fear of judgment. I’ve slowly grown out of this fear, but I’d be lying if I said I still care about what others think to some degree. I think writing this song really helped me focus on goals that I want to reach for self-improvement. I hope that fans also can reach these goals with me.”- FIN
RED RUM:
RED RUM, inspired heavily by Triptych’s seniors and lablemates, Vice, has a creepy and horror-like sound. Written by Teo, Jin, Sol, and Hyo with special help on producing from Vice’s Cyth. Features all 18 members.
“RED RUM is an interesting track. It’s a direction none of our subunits has explored, so it was fun to mess around with a darker sound. We got a lot of help from Cyth. He was really interesting to work with and really added a new twist. As far as the lyrics go, this song is about perception. Perception of people, situations, industries… Nothing is ever as it seems.”- SOL
“We know way too many people who have been screwed over in this industry. Including us, of course. No one’s safe from being used when you’re an idol. I guess this was sort of a reflection on all the things we have gone through to be where we are today. A lot of people look at an idols life and think it’s a dream. I beg to differ. Never trust a smile in a suit.”- YEN
“Unfortunately, by expressing how badly you want your dreams, you’re making yourself vulnerable to companies and agencies that want to sign you. Once they have your desperation, they can manipulate you. Everyone knows ‘red rum’ backwards is ‘murder’. We get asked for advice from fans who want to be idols pretty frequently. Even though to their face I tell them to never give up, I wish I had told them to read between the lines.”- HYO
VISION:
Boasting all 18 members, this track gives a much more hopeful and upbeat message than previous songs. Written by members Teo, Fin, Yen, Asa, and Zim, this song almost counters the previous track “RED RUM” by reminding listeners that things always get better.
“Life isn’t just filled with bad stuff. I think VISION is very relevant for this album, even though it is different from the first four tracks. At the end of dark tunnels, there is always light. I hope that VISION can guide our Artychs through their own dark tunnels.”- FIN
“I think we contradict ourselves a little bit with this track, but that’s human nature. All of the songs leading up to this one have been very serious and filled with some dark stuff. We needed a song that would pull everyone out of that emo funk, and I think this song delivers.”- ZIM
“VISION is that feel-good song that should just be played on a loop all summer long. I think it’s that song that you listen to on the way back from a rough day at work or an unpleasant outing and you’re like… Wow, Triptych is right. Life gets better.”- ASA
SELFISH:
Written and composed by members Yen, Asa, Jin, Teo, Nia, Sun, and Sol, SELFISH is a song about wanting a significant other all to yourself without other people being involved in your relationship. Boasting 18 members, this track holds special meaning to the members of Triptych who have come forward about their personal relationships.
“Relationships of mine have always been up for speculation. Ever since I debuted to now. I guess I wrote this song thinking about all the things I’d like to say to my significant others when we’re not in the spotlight.”- NIA
“Being as polite as possible, I think the typical fan sometimes forgets that we, idols, are humans too. And I’m not saying they’re bad people for forgetting so-- it’s our job for our fans to feel very close to us! We do have a very tight bond to our fanbase, which is something I’m forever thankful for, but I think SELFISH is a nice way to draw the line in the sand."- SUN
“Idols date all the time, it's just rarely ever show to the public. Having to share every aspect of your life to people can be exhausting. Sometimes we wish that our personal relationships were kept personal. There's actually nothing 'selfish' about that."- DAY
THE INVITATION:
For the seventh track, the supergroup takes a more sensual and slow take with their song THE INVITATION. Written by members Van, Sol, Teo, Ame, and Jin.
“The song is supposed to be a little intimate and slow. The ‘invitation’ is a peek into our minds and our personal lives, something that we give to fans on a daily basis. THE INVITATION talks about how open we are. Being an idol has really taught me how to let certain people in and how to keep others out. As a group, we put out very raw and real stuff. We just wanted to express how intimate that truly feels through song.”- KIT
“If it feels like we’re… Uh… getting it on…While listening to the song, that’s the goal. Everything we put out, we trust our fans to react to it and support it. They literally carry our careers in their hands. They know they’re powerful, just watch them on Twitter, but they also have all our trust, which I think is more powerful than trending a hashtag world wide.”- DAY
"We hope that what fans take away from this song is that we share a deeply intimate relationship, even though we may not know each other. Like the song itself, the concept of this relationship should be slightly unsettling. However, our relationship goes both ways. You share intimate things with us and we share intimate things with you." - VAN
WONDER OF IT ALL:
Even though the group itself has been in motion since 2015, the support and love they receive around the world still baffles them to this day. On the eighth track and the final OT18 song on the album, Triptych dedicates this song to all the Artychs that have supported them. Each member has given a hand in either producing, writing, or composing this track.
“This song is probably the most personal and sentimental song I have ever helped write. I’m not the best with my words or emotions, so trying to tell Artychs how I feel about their continuous support was really hard, especially when they never fail to leave me speechless. They have helped us do what we love to do as a living and they allow us to be ourselves while doing so. That’s something I will forever be grateful for.”- HYO
“I think it’s really beautiful just how strong music can be. A good chunk of our fans don’t even speak Korean, yet they learn all the words to our songs and practice the dance routines. Music and the love for music brings us together on a colossal, global scale. We may come from different backgrounds and walks of life, but I hope that when Artychs listen to this song, they feel like they are connected to us somehow.”- AME
“Out of all the songs I’ve written, I love writing about our fans the most. It’s like documenting a great love story. I’m not saying that our fans have romantic relations with us by any means, but the way we love each other - platonically and supportively - is so strong and so powerful. It’s a kind of love that I will never find anywhere else in the world, yet I feel it all around the world when I tour. It truly is wonderful.”- TEO
S.O.S:
Y3LLOW brings back a classic hip hop vibe with S.O.S, a track that tells the story of someone falling deeply in love with someone, but is unsure if the feeling is reciprocated. Written, composed, and produced by Y3LLOW subunit members Zim, Eli, Van, Ame, One, Sol.
“I think our discography needed a break from being so down and in the dumps. As a group I feel like love songs aren’t really our forte, but they’re equally as relevant and as relatable as our more serious songs. We shouldn’t have to just sing about the bad stuff to be recognized as a ‘good artist’. We should be allowed to sing about whatever we’re going through and that should be enough.”- ELI
“I feel like we’ve all been in this situation before where we like someone so much it feels like we’re drowning. I think when writing S.O.S I reflected on feelings that I’ve had in the past. Crushing on people hurts. That’s why it’s called ‘crushing’."- AME
“This song kinda hits a little hard, I’m gonna be honest. It’s relatable in the saddest way possible. Why is it that the people you love hurt you so much? And most of the time without even knowing it? What the hell? How is this a thing that humans feel?”- ONE
MIDNIGHT:
Subunit R3D enters the album with a slow EDM and pop style jam that has hints of romance. Written and composed by R3D subunit members Nia, Teo, Ura, Jin, Kit, and Sol.
“MIDNIGHT is supposed to give you those butterflies you feel when you’re young and in love. The song itself literally speaks of sneaking out your window at midnight to meet someone you love. If you want to look at it on a deeper level, I personally like to think of it as a love song between oneself and escaping your old self to meet a new version of you. If you don’t want to take deeper looks, don’t feel pressured to, though. Love songs just aren’t my thing.”- URA
"This track is very vocal-heavy, much like our other subunit track. I think R3Ds role in the group is to bring attention to our vocalists. It's nice to have songs with little to no rap in them from time to time."- JIN
“I mean, who doesn’t dream of sneaking off with someone in the middle of the night? I’ve yet to meet someone that makes me feel this way, but I wrote how I want to feel when I meet the right person. If they don’t make you feel how MIDNIGHT makes you feel, they’re not the one for you!”- KIT
EYES ON ME:
Returning with a hyped up tropical beat, subunit BLU3 makes a splash with their song “EYES ON ME”. Written, composed, and produced by BLU3 subunit members Yen, Asa, Cal, Hyo, Sun, and Fin.
“EYES ON ME is that summer bop that will just be blasting from your car radio all summer long. It’s just a fun song about just basically just showing up to the club with all your friends and being like ‘we run this biss’. I think it’s the ultimate turn up song.” - HYO
"Look, we saw your tweets, Artychs. We know it’s hot girl summer. So trust me when I say that this is the ultimate hot girl summer anthem. I hope listeners get an instant confidence boost when they hear this song. I personally think it’s a total banger.”- SUN
“I think BLU3 has some of the funniest and most lively members out of Triptych. I think our role in Triptych is to bring songs that give people those good vibes and I think we delivered. Our personalities really shine through in this song. This couldn’t have been a better fit with our subunit.”- YEN
OUTRO: SOMETHING:
To finish the album, another instrumental and ambient track is played. The sound may be confusing to fans at the first listen, as it seems to be playing samples of old Triptych songs in the background.
“OUTRO: SOMETHING isn’t supposed to be an easy listen. It’s supposed to kinda throw you off and make you think ‘What is this’? The point of the track is to have you anticipating what’s to come.”- SOL
“A third generation of Triptych has been rumored for a long time and I know Artychs are curious about the outro and if it has any relation to Gen 3. I can confirm that this outro is not about new members joining us. However, we have plans already to try out some new things musically. We hope that fans will receive these new changes well. Anticipate.”- NIA
“Artychs know to expect the unexpected with our group. We are always try out new things, testing new waters, stuff like that. I think OUTRO: SOMETHING reminds both Triptych and Artychs that there's always room for exploration." - ELI
