NOIR ROSES was the reigning queen of K-pop girl groups, not just in Korea but across the globe. If Infinite Boys were considered the definitive boy group representing Korea, then Noir Roses was undoubtedly their female counterpart.
Despite the rise of fourth-generation idols, Noir Roses continued to enjoy immense popularity. Even with sparse music releases over the past two years, no current K-pop girl group could rival their influence. This dominance wasn't solely due to the group's massive fandom; each of the four members boasted their own individual fan bases, each as formidable as the group's following itself.
With all four members fluent in English, Noir Roses found it easier to break into the US market, securing numerous luxury brand ambassadorships along the way. There was even a running joke within the industry that Noir Roses resembled models more than idols, given their frequent appearances at fashion events over music events in the past two years. However, this perception didn't diminish their standing among aspiring idols. In fact, achieving even half of Noir Roses' popularity would still place any group firmly in the A-tier of the K-pop hierarchy.
Just look at everyone's reaction at this moment to prove that.
The moment Lily appeared, shock rippled through the crowd of contestants. They could hardly believe that she was actually standing at the center of the stage. But as the ballroom's lights blazed to life, illuminating every corner, they could now see her clearly—Lily was indeed there, standing in all her glory.
Lily stood confidently on stage, her long black hair falling over her shoulders. She wore a stylish, fitted outfit that highlighted her slender figure, paired with tall boots that added to her commanding presence. Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd with a hint of a smile, exuding a mix of grace and authority that made it hard to look away.
"Hello, everyone. This is Noir Roses' Lily."
The moment Lily spoke, it was like a switch had been flipped among the contestants. The room erupted in excitement—some began shouting her name, while others clapped and cheered loudly. A few jumped up from their seats, pumping their fists in the air. Hoots and whistles filled the ballroom as as everyone got swept up in the excitement. The room buzzed with energy, a surge of voices and cheers flowing toward the stage, every eye focused on Lily.
"Haneul! It's Lily!" Robin exclaimed, jumping to his feet to get a better look at her on stage.
Haneul smiled when he saw Robin's reaction. In comparison, Jung Taeyang had a fairly mild reaction. No, it was more correct to say that he didn't have any reaction at all. Well, honestly, if Jung Taeyang reacted the same way as everyone else, it would even be weirder. Haneul couldn't even imagine him jumping and shouting while looking at Lily in admiration.
As for Haneul, he wasn't a big fan of Noir Roses either, but he couldn't help but be affected by their celebrity halo. In his previous world, the four members had truly reached the pinnacle of fame. Even though only two continued making music, one shifted her focus to fashion, and another pursued acting. Their celebrity status was no joke. To him, they were the kind of people he never imagined meeting in real life—much like the person sitting to his left.
And yet, here he was, in the presence of one of their members, and even participating in the same program as Jung Taeyang. His reaction to seeing Lily now was far more restrained than when he first saw Jung Taeyang at the public audition. Most of his excitement actually came from the sheer surprise of seeing her here.
That's because Lily had never appeared on Boys Odyssey—at least, not in the version that aired in his previous world.
Usually, the first celebrity to appear on survival shows like this was either a mentor or the host. If Lily were a mentor, she would have been introduced alongside the others. But the fact that she was standing alone on stage suggested she was more likely the host of the show.
In Haneul's previous world, the show's host had been a popular actress. The fact that Lily was now in that role confirmed yet another change to the Boys Odyssey he knew. He began to worry whether the rest of the show would differ completely from the version he had once watched religiously.
If that were the case, the small advantage he believed he had over the other contestants would vanish. And he wasn't quite sure how to feel about that.
"Are you a fan of hers?"
Jung Taeyang suddenly spoke in a low voice, snapping Haneul out of his thoughts. Haneul couldn't be sure, but there was something in Taeyang's tone that sounded almost like he was sulking.