translation by mourningmoor
Chaos erupted.
K-POP fans were in a frenzy as breaking news flooded in with bright red headlines.
Breaking News: H-NET CEO Park Jungrae, a key figure in the Hallyu wave, severely injured in fire at LA K-KON venue.
At 10:15 PM local time in the U.S., a fire broke out at the K-KON VIP party venue, engulfing H-NET CEO Park Jungrae. The fire, which started on his left hand, quickly spread across his body. Thanks to the quick actions of a nearby party attendee, the fire was extinguished. Details are still being investigated.
That was the entirety of the breaking news.
K-POP fans scrambled across the internet for more details. Filaments were no exception.
The phrase "Fire at LA K-KON party venue" sent shockwaves through the fandom, and fans anxiously wondered if L.I.T. had attended the party.
The news remained silent, and inquiries to Blade Entertainment went unanswered.
The fan community on Universe was in an uproar.
Noooㅠㅠㅠㅠ What happened? There’s no official news, right?
└Blade is completely silent. Shouldn’t they at least let us know if the kids are okay?
└No news is good news. Let’s wait.
└Other companies are already posting updates saying their artists are safe. Why is Blade being so irresponsible?
ㅠㅠㅠㅠ My heart is racing so much, even after taking calming pills. How could this happen so soon after the kids’ performanceㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└The promotional event at the convention center was their last schedule todayㅠㅠㅠ
└So they went back to the hotel, right? And the fire broke out thereㅠㅠ
Other teams participating in LA K-KON had already posted official notices assuring fans of their safety.
From the big four agencies to HBA, where Möbius is signed, notices were up—except for Blade Entertainment.
Wait, I saw a notice from Billlie saying Yoon Ahyeon was at the party venue but managed to escape safely.
└(Pyeongye) Wait, the company said only VIPs were invited to the party, so the kids weren’t there, right?
└Company official statement? Really?
At the mention of a company statement, Filaments breathed a sigh of relief. It was heartbreaking to think the kids weren’t invited as top-tier artists, but at this moment, it was better that way.
I really hope that’s true. Just thinking about our kids being there makes my blood boil. It’s terrifying.
└Me tooㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└But wait. In the K-KON official video, Ichan was looking at Park Jungrae like he was mesmerized. What if he was invitedㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└No way. It can’t be.
Opinions divided again, and the community heated up.
Then, a Filament posted two videos, sending the community into a frenzy.
Guys, check this out. It’s from a Hallyu community in LA. Isn’t this our kids? (Video) (Video)
The footage was shaky, as if filmed from a distance.
It seemed someone at the scene had recorded the incident.
The first video showed flames erupting from Park Jungrae’s hand. As screams of terror filled the party venue, the person filming turned the camera.
As the screen flickered, someone in red was seen.
Pausing and slowing down the video, they identified the person in red.
Oh my god. It’s Roa. Our Roa was thereㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└Whose company statement was that? Was it a lie? ㅜㅜ It’s clearly Roa.
└Noㅠㅠㅠㅠ Our kids were at the party venue. Where are the othersㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ The company’s late notice makes me think someone got hurt.
The answer was found in the second video.
Even in the shaky footage, Filaments immediately recognized the broad-shouldered, assertive figure of PD Pyo.
Hidden behind PD Pyo was Ichan, right next to the burning Park Jungrae.
Black pants and a red jacket. That’s Ichan, right?
└ㅠㅠㅠㅠYes. That’s exactly what Ichan wore on stage today.
Though distant and shaky, it was unmistakably PD Pyo and Ichan.
The fire, which started on one arm, spread to the shoulder, down to the waist, and even to the legs. The party venue was in chaos, and everyone was scrambling to escape.
But at that moment, Ichan grabbed what looked like a large bucket and poured it over Park Jungrae.
Gray smoke exploded, and some people fell from the impact.
But Ichan and PD Pyo remained steady.
Then, PD Pyo was seen making a call, and Ichan appeared to be checking on Park Jungrae.
The voice of the person filming grew louder.
{Oh my god. The fire’s out. The person in red put out the fire.}
{Call 911.}
The video ended as the excited voice explained the situation.
Did Ichan put out the fire? That’s what it looked like to me.
└That’s what I saw too. Amazing.
└The news mentioned a quick response from a party attendee nearby. It must have been Ichan.
└As expected of Leader Kangㅠㅠㅠㅠ He saved a life.
Guys, the news is out. Check it out.
The news provided more details about the incident.
It’s unclear how the fire started, but it began on Park Jungrae’s left hand. The fire spread rapidly, but an idol singer nearby used an ice bucket to extinguish the flames.
That idol was L.I.T’s Ichan, and his quick action saved Park Jungrae’s life.
Park Jungrae was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment, and an H-NET investigation team is scheduled to depart for the U.S. early tomorrow morning.
The video shared by a Filament earlier also made it to the news.
All CCTV footage from the venue was damaged, making it impossible to determine the exact situation. Local police have launched an investigation, noting that it’s highly unusual for all CCTV in a high-security hotel to be disabled. They are considering the possibility of terrorism.
ㅠㅠㅠㅠWhat does this mean? So someone deliberately cut the CCTV lines and tried to kill Park Jungrae by setting him on fire?
└That seems to be a possibility.
└Noㅠㅠ Our kids were there.
└Oh my god. Ichan was right at the scene of a potential terrorist attack. He even stopped it. I don’t know whether to be sad or happyㅠㅠ
Everyone felt the same.
While proud of Ichan for preventing a major disaster, their hearts were heavy.
In the end, Filaments cried out in unison.
You don’t have to be a hero. Just don’t get hurt. Please.
Be a coward if you have to. That’s what we need from you.
As Filaments wailed on Universe, an official post went up on SNS. It was from Ichan.
#LIT #이찬 #ICHAN #SurvivalReport #SorryForWorryingYou #OurFilamentsVoicesReachHere
Filaments. I’m sorry for worrying you. But I’m really okay. No injuries, and I’ve calmed down. The other members are fine too, so don’t worry. I’ll do an N Live after tomorrow’s schedule. See you then. Okay?
Along with the lengthy post, a photo was uploaded.
The members, having removed their stage outfits and makeup, were gathered in their hotel room, smiling brightly. In front of them were cup noodles, suggesting they were about to eat.
Eating at this late hour? The smiling faces in the photo were beautiful, but it also made their hearts ache.
Then, another post went up.
#LIT #ROA #Roa #HeartyLateNightMeal #2NoodlesPerPerson #ILoveYouFilaments
Hanjoon-hyungnim told me to prove that we eat this much, so here it is. Filaments, ramen is love. Let’s share a bowl.
One cup ramen, one bibim ramen, seasoned chicken, and instant rice.
As they looked at the mouth-watering late-night meal, Filaments in Korea let out a deep sigh. It was 3:06 PM in Korea—not lunch, not dinner, and definitely not late-night snack time.
To join Roa’s adorable ramen love, Filaments each opened a cup of ramen.
And that day, #RamenIsLove, #3PMLateNightSnack, and #OurRoa trended on SNS.
* * *
The next day. PD Pyo, who had promised to take us out for fun after K-KON, brought us to an amusement park near LA.
It’s famous for its massive roller coaster, but what the hell is a roller coaster anyway?
After some research, I found out it’s <a type of amusement ride designed to run on rails at high speeds>, but seriously, what does that even mean?
As we entered the amusement park, I was stunned by the bizarre and gigantic structure.
So, this must be the roller coaster.
It’s a steel structure with irregular heights, winding paths, and it even sparkles. The so-called ride on rails had something like a subway running on it.
And every time this monstrosity plunged from a high point, screams erupted from all around.
“Do they like it? Or hate it?”
It was an innocent question, but I got an answer.
“They… probably hate it, right?”
It was Roa.
His voice trembled slightly, revealing his true feelings. His lips parted slightly as he stared at the roller coaster, his face unusually pale today.
“They probably like it.”
This time, it was Jaewon.
Unlike Roa, the youngest seemed to like roller coasters.
Roa and the youngest reacted as expected, so nothing unusual there.
The surprise was Siu. Usually timid and easily scared, he couldn’t hide his excitement upon seeing the roller coaster. As for Hanjoon, he just looked bored.
“So, we’re supposed to ride that?”
The one ability I lack is foresight, but for some reason, I could see the future unfolding.