CHAPTER 7

The thing about falling into a romantic relationship with your best friend is how generally, there seem to be no visible changes. The dynamics remain as relaxed as they used to be. But since the connotation of your relationship is no longer platonic you can do non-platonic things and promise that you can only do these things with each other, exclusively. It sounds as easy as 123.

Now, the thing about MoonSun is they, of course, fall under the category of best friends-turned-lovers. They also, of course, veer away from the general presumption that this type of set-up is uncomplicated (and even convenient for some—‘Oh he was my best friend and now we’re married and it’s super cool’). You see Kim Yongsun and Moon Byulyi are humans who happen to naturally live their lives more deeply than most. In fact, their feelings for each other had been so humanly indecipherable that for a long time they thought it was normal that they were so bonded they would yearn for each other’s presence constantly, but when together, would bicker just as constantly.

You will notice this depth of living in celebrities who have a close relationship with their fans, the whole parasocial thing—they take their admirers’ thoughts and feelings into consideration regularly and have special care towards the things they release that their fans consume, being mindful of their place in the world and maintaining that they are deserving of the affection they receive.

It’s so easy for people of influence to simply skip this part of their careers entirely, especially if they rose to fame quickly, and become slaves to their social status and riches. It’s happened so many times.

However once in a while, there are idols like Solar and Moon Byul (and well, the rest of Mamamoo, and many other lovely, well-known artists and influencers from all over the world, thankfully) who live deeply and feel things deeply, who may have even been pushed towards each other in this lifetime for a reason related to this.

And for those people, ‘Oh we were best friends and now we’re married and it’s super cool and nothing’s changed and we don’t think about it much’ isn’t going to sure-ball cut it as a description.

So if you ask them how they’re doing the answer is probably more like, “Oh it’s…kind of exciting and there are new feelings that couldn’t be explored before, so now…we…uhh…”

Plus the fact that they’re living the first few moments of their union on reality TV probably doesn’t give them time or space to contemplate all these changes.

Suddenly getting married in the middle of shooting this show isn’t so romantic after all.

The challenges the now suddenly married couple have to undertake for The Human Condition present the couple adjusting to the new, sometimes slightly awkward vibes of finally being able to express all their affections with zero doubts or qualms.

Found printed on what appears to be some official papers in The Human Condition’s temporary overseas prod room:

The Human Condition Summarized Mission Sheet

Episode 6 onwards

Put participant duos together in one venue and (a) ask them random questions about each other that each player must answer correctly, and (b) give them random circumstances; the challenge is for them to say the exact same thing, or react the exact same way. Versus execution (teams go against each other).

Now the unity game (which is basically the short version of their current mission) isn’t something Mamamoo is good at, to begin with., if their track record is to be considered. It’s the game that always has them missing out on the Korean beef in the grand prizes.

So what, right? They show borderline creepy telekinesis amongst each other in actual situations that call for them to stand together…and in other games like Charades, they’re legendary at Charades.

In Byul’s opinion, their members’ diversity is fundamentally what helps them make everything they put out so spectacular; diversity is challenging to balance out with cohesiveness in kpop groups, but Mamamoo somehow pulls it off flawlessly time and time again.

Y: “You know how much I love that brain of yours, Banjjeokkie, but your smarts aren’t going to matter in the end because we’re going to lose. We at this game.”

B: “You obviously aren’t as obsessed with us as me, since I’ve watched countless videos of us two being randomly super in sync at the most bizarre scenarios. It’ll be different because the kids aren’t here to put in additional variables. We got this, Unnie! Have you no faith in YongKong ByulKong Mamamoo+?”

The mission indeed gets off to a good start. They first had to locate the pair they were to compete with, Shinee’s Minho and Key. All four were awarded extra points for finding each other amongst the unfamiliar NY streets faster than all the other groups.

The first round was a ‘How-Well-Do-You-Know-Each-Other’ round. They were asked about each others’ favorite things and personal/historical facts. MoonSun expectedly nails this. Minho and Key does pretty well too.

The next round is similar to that of what they did at the public baths for Mamamoo’s 8th anniversary. Personally, Byul has no idea why Koreans are so obsessed with these types of games–they only further expose how…unique Korean society is from the rest of the world.

So, they were all given scenarios and both members of each pair are supposed to react the same way without prior discussion.

Although Byul’s utter faith in YKBK is mostly justified, they simply cannot align when it comes to point-blank reactions because more often than not, their opinions on things are on opposite ends. Plus…Solar’s takes on things, when expressed, tend to be so quirky her companions just want her to stop talking.

What really got to Byul was Yong’s response to being asked to choose between telling a new colleague that they have bad body odor to their face versus keeping it to herself to spare their feelings, even though the rest of the office is talking about them behind their back.

Here is how that went:

B: “I mean, there must be a gentler way.”

PD-nim: “No there isn’t, it’s either you tell them they stink or you do nothing.”

B: “I’ll choose the second option only because I’m not allowed to elaborate, but if I were, I would say I’ll not say anything to her BUT maybe raise it with our superiors anonymously, since the superior would have more authority to meddle in such a personal thing. Like maybe they could say hygiene is important to the company, something like that.”

Byul face palms upon her discovery that Yong is holding up her index finger. She chose the first option. OF COURSE, Solar would–aigoo!

Y: “But that would prolong the agony for everyone and make the person even more embarrassed if it were to come from a superior, wouldn’t it? And how do I live with having to work with her smelling like that? I really don’t know if I can. I kind of have a penchant for blurting things out without thinking, honestly. Right, Byul?”
 

Byul gets so frustrated at her own instinctual decisions to play against her partner that she exclaims, “I should’ve picked the first option Yong, I knew that’s what you were going to say. GAH! Moonbyul and her integrity!”

The expression is so passionate it takes Yong slightly aback.

They end up finishing in second place. The whole cast goes to a local Korean fusion resto after wrapping up the day. Thankfully, losing in games of the same nature has happened to our couple more than once in the past and so they don’t really take the lost mission to heart.

Yong takes a while deciding what to order and figures maybe freshening up first might help. Byul picks out something from the menu for her Unnie while she’s away just to test the connection she is so sure they have (neither of them has ever been to this restaurant, meaning neither of them has tasted any of the food). True enough, nothing is amiss since Yong returns to the table with a decision as to what to order, which is exactly what Byul already did. They also raise their hands at the same time to call the waiter twice throughout their entire stay there.

As they head back to their hotels Byul can’t help but ponder over this ‘connection’--it sometimes comes in handy and sometimes not really. What does that mean?

Mulling over this thought had to be put aside for the time being though, because they find their new mission sheet below the TV the moment they arrive at their hotel room.

A sweet improv skit to again prove the pair’s depth of connection, to happen on a day which they have not spent together prior to when the skit starts. Both members will be informed of the mission’s activation at the same time (although obviously not at the same place) and a clock is set for 12 hours, within the period of which the skit will need to be completed.

The skit begins the first time they see each other on the day of its execution; it has to be completely on the spot, no preplanning and no falling out of character once the skit starts.

“I need to have a word with the writers assigned to these missions. We need more variety,” Byul tells her wife on the morning of their new mission. “What is with our country and their weird fascination with the human condition, like, ultimately, what’s the point of always wanting to put it to the test?”

Y: “You’ve got a point, Byul-ah, and your wanting variety for the show is sensible. Your superiors will find no reason not the hear you out. As for your second question, I frankly think it’s too late to bring that up. One, the show is called..?”

B: “...The Human Condition.”

Y: “Is it the first season?”

B: “No, it’s the second.”

Y: “Mmhm. Two, are we or are we not making a fortune off of being involved in this show’s production, and thus, Korea’s weird fascination with humans?”

Byul doesn’t regret marrying Yong in the slightest, but she does wish she had more time to find a nice spot between (1) being expressive and assertive, especially of her thoughts, as her Unnie wants, and (2) accepting that her wife is also always right.

In order to fulfill the requirements of the challenge the pairs obviously needed to be separated this time. Byul figured that the best thing to do would be to immediately scramble the moment the timer on the mission clock starts, and not think too much. She hopes against all hope that the J in Yong’s MBTI causes her to put more thought into how they’re going to get this done.

In other words, she hopes somehow the J in Yong’s MBTI decides to go against its nature and just go with the flow, making less room for error.

This is what she comes up with: She randomly shows up at her and Yong’s hotel room door with a big rose bouquet spitting out greasy lines, pretending to confess to Yong for the first time.

B: “Hi, U