Mnet's 'Nationwide Spark Tour' saw the group ZEROBASEONE create a special day in Wonju.
On the 26th, the third episode of Mnet's Idol Festa Operation 'Nationwide Spark Tour' (directed by Cho Hyemi) showcased a special day for ZEROBASEONE, who transformed into 'One-Day Corn Ambassadors' for a day in Wonju. Their passion while selling corn throughout Wonju led to the success of the performance and completed a true regional co-prosperity festa.
ZEROBASEONE's journey to Wonju kicked off with a warming-up mission. Members (Sung Hanbin, Kim Jiwoong, Zhang Hao, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, Ricky, Kim Gyubin, Park Geonwook, Han Yujin) divided into three teams to promote and sell '990 won corn', which served as concert tickets, after realizing the larger-than-expected concert venue size. They showed awkwardness by saying, "I think I will be MBTI I" in the unfamiliar environment, but as time went on, they actively interacted with citizens, revealing a friendly and human charm different from that on stage. In particular, Kim Jiwoong, known as 'the son of Wonju', expressed his unique feelings about visiting his hometown and presented a dramatic reunion with his grandfather.
As the popup began in earnest, the members quickly took the lead on-site after dividing roles between the truck team and display team. The scene was crowded with citizens of Wonju and global fans from around the world, demonstrating tremendous interest. Sung Hanbin led global communication with multilingual responses in Japanese and Chinese, while 'publicity fairy' Kim Gyubin raised the atmosphere with his characteristic bright energy.
A special meeting with fans also followed. Heartfelt confessions from fans, including one who said they dreamed of majoring in Chinese literature after seeing Zhang Hao, along with a surprise visit from national representative Cha Yu-jin, a sports climber, heated up the scene even more.
The direct on-foot visiting sales also yielded results beyond expectations. The members visited Wonju's leading basketball team and public institutions to sell corn and promote the concert, and especially, Ricky showcased outstanding skills during a basketball match with players that even surprised the active players, proving his presence as an 'all-round idol'. Meanwhile, Sung Hanbin, who hosted the internal broadcasting at a public institution, said, "I'm more nervous than when I was MC at 'M Countdown'" but captured the attention of staff, increasing the sales excitement. The second popup, which took place amid heavy rain, faced a crisis but did not stop the fans' footsteps despite the inclement weather.
The highlight of the festa, ZEROBASEONE's performance, also revealed itself. Despite concerns about bad weather and a weekday evening, the concert proceeded successfully, and when the first stage 'SLAM DUNK' was unveiled, the explosive cheers from the audience filled the stage. Following that, diverse stages such as 'BLUE' and 'GOOD SO BAD' culminated the atmosphere to its peak. Unique items like 'corn tickets' and 'corn light sticks', along with the members posing with corn during 'corn time', added to the specialness and turned the scene into a frenzy of excitement.
Members who sold corn for the first time and promoted the concert directly expressed their pride, saying, "Today, all nine members worked hard together." Kim Jiwoong showed a tearful expression, saying, "I think I have dreamed of standing on stage with my members in my hometown of Wonju," and his parents and older brother were also present, attracting attention.
The reactions from Wonju citizens and ZEROSE were explosive. Comments from fans poured in, such as, "It's hard to see concerts directly living in the countryside, so thank you very much," "It's hard to book concert tickets, but it's nice to see ZEROBASEONE just by buying corn," "I feel like I've caught two rabbits since it's a collaboration between idols and corn," and "I came with my daughter, and I'm about to become a fan," closing the regional co-prosperity festa that shook all of Wonju in great success.
Meanwhile, next week, MONSTA X is set to head to Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, to sell the local specialty 'chestnuts', raising expectations. Mnet's 'Nationwide Spark Tour' airs every Tuesday at 10 p.m.
[Photo] 'Nationwide Spark Tour'
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