Episode 10: A Girl Group Like This?!
Wow, she’s good!
Baek Jin-ah’s confidence in her drawing skills wasn’t just bravado.
Starting with a black colored pencil sketch, her shading and coloring were so skilled they could rival an art student’s.
And she was doing it impromptu, without even referencing anything.
She’s definitely got a knack for the arts.
That said, the drawing itself was… bizarre.
When someone draws on a patient’s cast, you’d expect something cute or cheerful, right?
But Jin-ah’s artwork depicted a stag beetle slicing a Pikachu katsu with its massive, majestic pincers—an utterly surreal scene.
And to top it off, above the half-chopped Pikachu katsu, a speech bubble read, “Get Well Soon ♥.” What even is this?
Still, the drawing was so high-quality that the truck driver, his family, me, and the other members were momentarily captivated, staring in awe.
This is worth posting on idol communities.
As I snapped photos with my phone, I asked Jin-ah,
“Have you ever taken art lessons?”
“Nope.”
“Whoa, so you’re self-taught?”
“I just like drawing.”
She’s a natural talent. I almost said it out loud but softened it since there were adults around.
“You’re a natural. You could’ve killed it as a webtoon artist.”
“I just. Want to be a singer.”
After the stag beetle devouring Pikachu katsu, Jin-ah started drawing people.
While the beetle and katsu were in a realistic style, this time she used a cartoonish one. From her rough sketch, it looked like she was drawing the Free Sense members, Team Leader Jeon Min-yong, and me.
As she captured each person’s distinct facial features in caricature style, it was instantly clear who was who.
Seung-ah let out a short gasp and asked,
“Wow, is that us?”
“Yup.”
“Pfft, you nailed the features.”
Considering she hadn’t glanced at us once while drawing, she was working purely from memory.
How is that even possible?
Some idols are known for their artistic skills, and Jin-ah was definitely in that league.
Her cast graffiti session lasted about 20 minutes.
Realizing it might take a while, I asked the members to take photos and stepped out to the lounge to talk with Reporter Park Ji-hoon.
“Was it your mother who called us? The one who left her number with the police?”
“No, that was our team leader. I’m the road manager.”
“Oh, I see. So the team leader was the one who handled the accident aftermath, right?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“I was really surprised when I heard you were coming to visit. This hospital’s not even in Seoul, and you must be busy with schedules, yet you made time to come.”
“No, it’s nothing. The members really wanted to visit…”
“I’m really grateful to you too, Hyun-jong-ssi.”
I may have dragged everyone here by the collar, but I deflected all the credit to Team Leader Jeon and the Free Sense members.
I don’t care if I don’t get recognition.
If this becomes the spark for Free Sense’s rise, that’s more than enough.
“I’d love to treat you all to a meal. Are you free? Maybe for dinner?”
“We don’t have any schedules, but I don’t have decision-making authority, so I’ll need to check with the company.”
“Please do and let me know. I’ll head back inside.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, one thing I’m curious about…”
“Yes?”
As he turned to head back to the room, he paused and cautiously asked,
“Uh… what’s with the stag beetle and Pikachu katsu?”
“Oh… those are just things Jin-ah’s been obsessed with lately… I was a bit thrown off too.”
“Her vibe is pretty unique. In a good way, I mean.”
“I’m still getting used to her myself. She’s not a bad kid.”
“Haha, I thought it was cool. You need that kind of unique flair to be a celebrity.”
After he returned to the room, I called Team Leader Jeon to report the progress.
“New Media News?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… they’ve got some clout in the entertainment world…”
“He said he’s in the social affairs team, not entertainment.”
“How’s the driver doing?”
“He can’t move much, but he can have normal conversations. By the way, the reporter invited us for dinner. What should we do?”
“Go eat.”
“Yes, got it.”
As I hung up and headed back to the room, I heard a commotion from our ward.
It sounded like singing…
When I entered, Ah-hyun was swaying gently, using a drink bottle as a makeshift mic, singing with flair.
“Hey, hey, hey, look at me, don’t make my heart flutter. If I say I’ve been waiting for you, will it cost me anything?”
She sang softer than her usual volume out of consideration for other wards, but the upbeat song, combined with her stellar vocals, had the room buzzing with energy.
The caregivers and visitors, mostly our mothers’ age, clapped along to the beat, while Park Ji-hoon filmed the scene on his phone.
When the song ended, applause and a relay of compliments followed.
“Oh my, she’s pretty and sings so well?”
“No wonder she’s a singer.”
“These days, idols aren’t just picked for looks—they have to sing well too.”
A middle-aged man caring for his wife even handed Ah-hyun two 50,000-won bills.
“Get something tasty to eat on your way home.”
“Oh, no, it’s okay!”
It felt like an uncle giving pocket money to a talented niece.
Ah-hyun, startled, waved her hands to decline, but the others insisted she take it. Blushing, she reluctantly accepted and passed it to Seung-ah.
“Unnie, you hold onto it…”
Caught off guard, Seung-ah took it and handed it to me.
“O-oppa, you keep it.”
What are these girls doing, making the giver feel awkward?
I bowed to the man who gave the money.
“Thank you. I’ll treat the members to something nice.”
Everyone looked at us with warm smiles.
Meanwhile, Baek Jin-ah, the artist, had finished her cast graffiti, complete with Free Sense’s signatures and well-wishes.
After saying our goodbyes, we left the hospital and ate at a nearby barbecue restaurant with Reporter Park Ji-hoon before heading back to Seoul.
As we arrived at the members’ dorm, Seung-ah spoke with a voice full of lingering emotion.
“I feel really fulfilled.”
Though it wasn’t an official schedule, her expression showed more satisfaction than any gig could bring.
I could tell Ah-hyun and Jin-ah felt the same.
I pulled out ten 10,000-won bills I’d exchanged at the restaurant.
“This is what the man at the hospital gave us. Team Leader said to split it evenly as pocket money. If we divide 30,000 won each, there’s 10,000 left, so let’s play rock-paper-scissors, and the winner gets 40,000.”
For a group that’s been in debt for three years without breaking even, even a single 1,000-won note would be precious. But Seung-ah and Ah-hyun hesitated, glancing at each other.
The stag beetle girl looked like she didn’t care either way.
I spoke casually to ease their awkwardness.
“You earned this because you did well, so why so shy?”
Ah-hyun responded,
“Then let’s just split it evenly, including you, oppa—25,000 won each.”
“Nah, I get a salary.”
I handed 30,000 won to Seung-ah, who was in the passenger seat.
The leader, with a deer-in-headlights look, reluctantly took it and asked Ah-hyun,
“Should we just give Jin-ah the extra 10,000? She worked hard on the drawing…”
“Yeah, let’s do it.”
With the unnies’ agreement, I gave Ah-hyun 30,000 won and Jin-ah 40,000.
Then, Jin-ah, acting like a veteran singer giving pocket money to a junior, handed me back a 10,000-won bill.
“Hyun-jong-ssi, buy some cigarettes. You worked hard driving today.”
I played along coolly.
“Well, thank you, boss!”
“It’s nothing. It’s to encourage you to work harder.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll work myself to the bone!”
“No need for that. Above all, your health comes first.”
Why does it sound weirder when she says something sensible?
***
The next day, before our company could even distribute the press release we’d prepared, an article went up.
[A Girl Group Like This?! Free Sense’s Heartwarming Hospital Visit]
New Media News / Entertainment
Reporter Park Ji-hoon
It started with the reporter clarifying that he’s from the social affairs team.
He explained why he, a non-entertainment reporter, was writing for the entertainment section.
The article detailed the accident that could’ve been fatal if reported any later, the swift judgment and follow-up by Free Sense’s manager, the circumstances that led the lifesavers to visit the hospital before the victim’s son could, and the impromptu morale-boosting performance for the patients and caregivers in the ward—a story rich enough to fill a short novel.
It read more like a personal essay than a news article, brimming with Park’s self-reflection and gratitude.
Yet, his humorous and witty writing style kept it engaging, never dull.
Photos of Jin-ah drawing on the cast and Ah-hyun singing with a drink bottle as a mic were included.
He praised Free Sense relentlessly, as if worried his keyboard might wear out, for their positive influence on his family and society.
The article concluded with a heartfelt wish for Free Sense’s bright future.
After coming home, I ordered Pikachu katsu online and stayed up late watching Free Sense’s old videos.
They may not be well-known, but their skills and potential were undeniable.
In an era where complimenting women’s looks can be seen as lacking gender sensitivity, I’ll boldly say it: as a girl group, their visuals and beauty were flawless.
I might already be a Free Sense stan.
Wishing boundless glory to these three girls with looks, talent, and character, as well as VIP Entertainment’s Team Leader Jeon Min-yong and Manager Kang Hyun-jong, I conclude this article.
Park Ji-hoon’s article shot to the top of the portal’s entertainment section upon release, garnering a flood of positive comments.
It wasn’t just the heartwarming story—the article’s fun and fresh style seemed to drive its high views.
[Best Comments]
- Gersigi: The reporter writes so entertainingly ^^ I couldn’t stop smiling.
- HonestIntegrity: Wow, the member who drew on the cast is seriously talented.
- Haruel: A rare wholesome article!
- EDM: Now I’m craving Pikachu katsu lolol.
The story quickly spread across communities through secondary posts.
Jin-ah’s cast art and Ah-hyun’s bottle-mic performance clearly left an impression on netizens.
[An Uncommon Girl Group]
[???: “Our kids may not be famous, but they’re really kind.”]
[Have you ever heard of Free Sense?]
[A Girl Group That’s Hit a Turning Point]
- inbub: What’s with the sudden stag beetle lolol.
- Jjilook: There’s probably some image crafting, but their humanity shines through.
- leejk1666: Rooting for them!
- FlyHigh: Pretty girls always have kind hearts.
- PIA1: Aren’t these the girls who did the deer impression recently? Lol
- Patriot: Looked them up after this, and they’ve had a lot of member changes.
- JusticeClear: When an unknown female idol suddenly gets an article, what’s the deal?
- Gunjae: Tsk tsk, if you read the original article, you wouldn’t say that.
- Jaetab: There’s always someone looking at things cynically.
The comment reactions were largely positive.
Of course, this alone wouldn’t skyrocket their popularity overnight.
This kind of community post and buzz is just a typical meme for most idols.
Occasionally, a fancam might trigger a meteoric rise, but that’s a lottery-level rarity.
Still, for a group with the recognition of an amateur dance team, this was beyond our expectations.
Seeing buzz in communities where our company’s press releases and viral marketing efforts had previously flopped felt surreal and exciting.
The members were, of course, beaming all day, and the reaction within the company was one of surprise.
Even Team Leader Jeon Min-yong, a seasoned idol manager, felt the same.
“Man… who would’ve thought it’d connect like this? This industry is so unpredictable.”
Before leaving the office, he gave me a pat on the back.
“Good job. It was worth listening to you and going, right?”
“No, it’s all thanks to you, Team Leader.”
“New Media News reached out for a formal interview.”
“Really?”
“And another place contacted us too.”
“Wow… I didn’t expect a response this fast.”
“That’s how it works. Even a small buzz can bring in interview requests. There are tons of online news outlets these days.”
“Oh…”
“But the fact that they reached out first is meaningful. You did well. The kids are happy, right?”
“Yeah. Seung-ah was practically crying, jumping around. She’s been checking comments all day.”
“Sigh, it’s kind of sad, you know. They shouldn’t be this excited over something so small.”
“They’ll do well from now on…”
“Yeah, I hope so too.”
Like me, he seemed to think this buzz would fade in a few days, so he wasn’t getting his hopes up.
“Go home for today. Tomorrow, we’ve got to hit the salon, so pick up the kids by 6 a.m. The interview’s at 1 p.m. in Sangam-dong.”
“Yes. The same salon we went to last time, right?”
“Yup. I’ll head straight to the salon by noon, so you pick up the kids and get there first.”
“Got it.”
The members’ dorm is near the company, so I don’t usually drop them off.
At 5:20 p.m., after leaving the office, I got on the subway and checked my phone.
Before watching today’s future video, I opened the group chat to inform the members about tomorrow’s interview schedule.
There were already a few messages waiting.
Leader Seung-ah: [Hyun-jong oppa, thank you ㅜㅜ]
Leader Seung-ah: [You suggested the hospital visit, and it turned out so well]
Main Vocal Ah-hyun: [Thanks thanks!]
Maknae Jin-ah: [Good job, Hyun-jong-ssi]
Geez…
How do their personalities shine through even in texts?
Smiling warmly, I sent the schedule.
Me: [Got an interview with a news outlet tomorrow. Park Ji-hoon’s company lol]
Leader Seung-ah: [WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWW!]
Main Vocal Ah-hyun: [No way… an interview with a news outlet after so long ㅜㅜ]
Maknae Jin-ah: [Sweet. I love interviews]
Me: [We’re stopping by the salon tomorrow, so be ready by 6 a.m. I’ll come to the dorm.]
After sending the message, I didn’t check for replies and tapped the YouTube icon.
There’s a high chance it’d be a useless video, but my heart still raced with faint anticipation.
[#Is This Event for Real?]
[#A Collection of Absurd and Tragicomic Performances Girl Groups Actually Experienced]