Free Web NovelAfter the script reading ended.
The TBC network’s official SNS account released on-site photos.
@TBC
(Group photo of the entire cast holding their scripts and beaming.)
First look at the Our Family Is Aliens script reading site!
Alien chemistry already off the charts ♡
See you in August!!
#TBC #WeekendSitcom #OurFamilyIsAliens
A new weekend sitcom launching in 2016, an era when sitcoms were in decline. It boasted familiar names like Seo No-eul and Yang Ok-bun, plus NewBlack’s Uju—the ultimate ratings magnet. With a mid-August premiere approaching, Our Family Is Aliens was the hottest drama on the block.
Once the script-reading photos went public, articles flooded in:
– TBC’s alien family... 5 points to watch: Will it be a hit?
– First look at Our Family Is Aliens script reading, welcome return of the family sitcom
– TBC weekend sitcom: Could this spark a new sitcom craze?
Entertainment reporters and industry insiders had their eyes on the alien family drama.
“Will this fly...?”
Sitcoms had been dying off; most revivals tanked or ended with a whimper. Sitcoms were a genre people assumed was dead. So whenever a production company said, “We’re making a sitcom,” you’d applaud them for having deep pockets.
But this time the buzz was real.
“...NewBlack’s in that sitcom?”
The news that the industry’s top idol group would appear set the drama world abuzz. NewBlack was like a lucky charm: every album broke career-high sales, Mister Producer hit record ratings, and their member Han Tae-hyun’s solo debut climbed into the top five. They seemed to pick hits like a psychic, though of course they had scouts and filters. Still, insiders saw NewBlack as trend-spotters.
“Do you think it’ll really take off...?”
The script photos hinted at something catching the moment. Corporate sponsors moved quickly.
“This PPL we planned for HBS—why not redirect it here?”
“We have to place it in every scene tied to Uju’s character. Young viewers copy whatever NewBlack eats or wears.”
“I heard this is a hidden gem. People are sensing big things...”
Soon, scheduling and advertising inquiries poured into Gon Pictures, the sitcom’s production company.
“...Hello? Ads? For us? Really, I’m so sorry. You said PR department?”
Gon Pictures CEO Kim Woo-yong looked dazed fielding the calls. Writer Hwang Jeong-yeon and director Hwang Jeong-gu in his office were equally stunned.
“What’s going on?”
“I guess news spread through managers after the reading. Everyone thinks the drama’s going to be big.”
“...The reading did feel unusually electric.”
Like the actors, writer and director had felt a peculiar atmosphere of success, but they hadn’t expected this.
“Hwang Gu,” said the writer.
“Yeah?”
“Let’s recalculate our budget.”
After a moment’s mental math, Director Hwang reported estimates. The writer’s eyes widened.
“Then can we use more UFOs? We had ideas for aliens from other planets...”
“Go ahead, sister. Use as many as you like.”
“Can we really rewrite the script at will...?”
“And add more CG...?”
They high-fived like mischievous siblings, then turned to CEO Kim, who was fiddling with his phone like Baloo the bear.
“What are you doing, CEO?”
“I’m texting a thank you to Uju.”
“Oh. We should send one too.”
They all knew exactly who had set this buzz in motion. CEO Kim clicked send on a message with a red ginseng gift voucher.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this. I was calling everyone to get one investment, and now...”
“I did the same, reaching out to everyone I know.”
They recalled the tear-jerking story of preparing a sitcom: the cold shoulders, the rejections. Seeing those same companies now calling back drove home the power of a top star.
“So that’s why they hire famous actors. Money just pours in.”
“And we can breathe easier. Budget for CG and locations was a worry...”
A weekend sitcom’s budget was low by design, but now they could raise production quality well beyond original plans.
“Ujuaaaagh!”
In their hearts, the production staff chanted luck charms, redrafting plans to fit the new budget.
Meanwhile, devoted fans and drama buffs showed keen interest. Idol fans, too, snapped up the script-reading photos—and their focus was always the same.
“...What’s with that suit?”
There, in the center of the picture, was Sun Woo-ju in a suit and spy sunglasses, smiling brightly. Everyone burst out laughing at once.
– hahahahahahahahahaha
– Who shows up to a script reading dressed like that lolol
– TBC, hurry up and release the making-of
– He blends in so naturally, I thought it was an illusion
– This pic reeks of absurdity lol I’ll definitely watch this
– You can feel the vibe from the reading pic alone lol
– Article says he’s a special agent tormented by an alien family? Yeah right
– Look closely lol there’s something weird about everyone else too
Seo No-eul’s rolling eyes like a Magic Eye, Jung In-woo balancing a can on his head, senior actor Song Hoon wearing dog-ear headbands... It looked normal at first glance, but the more you studied it, the stranger it got. Already, fans couldn’t wait for Episode 1.
– So handsome ㅠㅠ this is it
– Good job, Uju... from now on keep wearing suits
– Legendary pic thank you ㅠㅠ overwhelming thanks ㅠㅠ
– Ordinary person: lol what’s with the suit so cute / Souffle: Uju wearing a normal suit..? why?
– You little minions!! You guys have beaten Uju..!
– Souffle’s touched by you guys
– That’s totally Jiho haha Jiho: Ah hyung try this on~~ I’ll make you look good~~
Excited fans reacting to normal clothes—classic Souffle.
Before they knew it, the last week of July had passed. Even after topping music shows, Fireworks (Bulkkotnori) stayed at number one on the charts. Nakhwa clung to number two despite the taunts of “Falling Flowers at number two!” and at three and four, Attention (MiP) and Survivоr (TJ division) duked it out for the true title track.
“Whoever wins, we win big!”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
“This is secretly fun—I feel like a minion in the shadows of some mastermind!”
They were delighted. But Survivor held stronger. Without Mister Producer’s broadcast boost, the smooth R&B track streamed better than the dance number, securing the lead.
Meanwhile, solo artist Han Tae-hyun smashed records.
– TNT Han Tae-hyun, first-week record... 230,000 in one day
– ‘Historic solo star,’ TNT Han Tae-hyun, all-time top solo album sales
– Music and album both ‘explosive,’ Han Tae-hyun’s successful solo debut
He sold 230,000 copies on day one—surpassing TNT’s initial sales. A landmark solo debut. It ultimately reached 280,000, placing him third in first-day sales history, on par with TNT’s repackaged albums.
“I see why TJ does that....”
Between acting, rapping, albums, the sum of the members’ solo successes outstripped TNT as a group. The hints of going separate ways were clear. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
On the strength of this success, Tae-hyun was sweeping first-place trophies on music shows—his ‘Survivor,’ co-written by me, not TJ’s ‘Mood.’
Every time he hit number one, I got a video link.
[Thank you so much! Chairman Park Tae-joon of TJ Ent., Director Han Young-joon... and composer Ujuseon who wrote Survivor! I love you all!]
Whenever they thanked “Composer Ujuseon,” you could see the artists in the background laughing.
“Why are they laughing? Is my name that funny?”
“Kim Jung-hyun.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
“That’s mirror therapy right there.”
I got it immediately.
TJ Ent. even thanked me. Chairman Park offered a meal, but I had to decline—too busy. Each member had solo activities and we were preparing for the K-Pop concert in LA on July 31.
– NewBlack to appear as main performers at LA K-Pop concert
– Emojis: LA airport temporarily gridlocked by American fans eagerly awaiting NewBlack
– PhotoIssue: NewBlack ‘Where am I...? Strange air’
K-Pop seemed more popular in LA than New York. From the airport on, it was chaos. freewēbnoveℓ.com
“Bijuyaaaa!”
“Uju huuuh!”
“Don’t freak out over being one meter apart!”
Before, this happened only when leaving or entering Korea. Now at American airports, the crowd following ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) us had grown immensely.
“Soon we’ll be doing a concert here too, right? In a dome, flinging lightsticks.”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
“Right—while we’re at it, let’s hit the Grammys.”
At the youngest’s excited ramblings, everyone chimed in and laughter broke out.
The venue was the Staples Center. In front of 20,000 people, we performed Nine and Nakhwa in the grand finale. After the show, we had surprise guests.
“Hello, Mother~!”
“It’s been a while.”
Ri-hyuk’s mother and sister came to see us. We greeted them warmly and then shared a meal at a famed LA Korean restaurant. While the mother fussed over her hat, the rest of us soaked in the cozy atmosphere.
When we parted after dinner, it was quite a scene.
“I’ll go now.”
“All right.”
“I’ll contact you when I get back to Korea. Here—I wrote you a letter...”
“I did too.”
In that warm moment, we buzzed with emotion. Mother and daughter Ye-in spotted us clustered together and froze.
“...”
“...”
“Well then...”
“Well then...”
Ri-hyuk and his mother awkwardly shook hands—a failed hug attempt—and parted ways. We held back giggles behind them.
Ri-hyuk, face red as a bird, ran over to us. We burst out laughing.
“Who shakes hands with their mother when leaving?”
“...Don’t say a word. Really.”
Ri-hyuk insisted: “I did my best.”
“All right.”
Now he didn’t push away even if I wrapped an arm around him.
“Can you step back? It’s so hot.”
“....”
“Aah, Uju-hyung’s turned into the maknae, so he’s come on more~ Aaaah!”
We boarded the flight back to Korea with our rowdy minions. Thus ended the summer tour: joint concerts in France, New York, and LA plus 130,000 fans across Korea and Southeast Asia—likely over 200,000 including the upcoming Japan shows. It was our largest tour yet, and I felt lighthearted.
“All the hard stuff’s over now. Ha-ha.”
“Right, thank you, hyungs.”
With preparations for the next full album underway, I could finally focus on activities alone.
Just then, I heard: “Hey, Uju.”
“Yeah?”
“You haven’t forgotten, right?”
I received word from Seok-hwan about an unmissable schedule.
“You have your reserve forces training, don’t you?”
“....”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
My brothers laughed. I put on an eye mask, turning away from them. Why did tears well up? As happy as I was that the concerts were done, my country was calling me back.
The military fed us, housed us, and trained us as reservists for a few days—I was truly happy to the point of tears.
“Uju-ssi, what year are you in?”
“I’m in my third year this year.”
“Oh my, you’ve got three more years to go.”
Reserve years, of course. I nodded at the other reservist’s comment.
“Thanks for everything~!”
I shook hands and took photos with new friends. I also promoted the sitcom.
“Okay, let’s see if you remember. Our family is~?”
“Aliens!”
We clambered into the vehicle in front of the training ground, and the minions were waiting.
“How was your training?”
“Good.”
I told my brothers, smiling: “It’s great. They fed us, housed us—everyone should experience this.”
“You did well, hyung.”
Using the handkerchief Biju handed me, I wiped sweat. As talk turned to “What year is it now in 2020...?” the brothers chipped in.
“But when it’s our turn for military service, won’t Uju-hyung be civil defense?”
“Civil defense idol...!”
“Stop it. I don’t want to think about that...”
Terrifying thought—I shook my head and asked the brothers:
“Why’d you all come? I thought only Biju was coming.”
Today was my first day filming Our Family Is Aliens. Biju was today’s cameo guest. With the budget expanded and the drama hot, cameos increased—and Biju was one. I’d even recommended him for it.
“They originally planned just Biju-hyung, but he said he was nervous so he brought you all.”
“We also wanted to check out the set. We have something to help with.”
“...It’s not something weird, right?”
“It’s good, trust us. It’s good.”
Their sly grins made me uneasy. Mingi-hyung at the wheel looked unfazed, so it must be normal.
Sure enough, nothing would go wrong. We stopped by the dorm to freshen up, then headed to Gwacheon for the outdoor set.
“All right, let’s rehearse your lines like we’re actually filming.”
“Yes!”
“Ready—action!”
Jiho and I coached Biju, who was practicing his cameo lines. Biju swept his hair back and said:
“This is kind of intimidating, hyung.”
“You’ll do fine.”
“What if I end up like James in Slip...?”
Recalling his yellow-haired high-schooler role, he gazed wistfully out the window and I laughed.
“Don’t worry. This cameo fits you perfectly.”
“Yeah. I wanted a cameo, but there’s no one better than Biju-hyung.”
The first scene today was Agent Kim Uju disguised as a fruit vendor. Biju would play the polite customer buying apples. We ran lines and offered encouragement until we arrived on location.
“Hello! We’re NewBlack!”
“Oh my!”
Like a pack of retrievers bursting out of a cage, my brothers bounded onto the set, staff bursting into smiles.
“NewBlack!”
“Oh my, oh my, you kids!”
They really did look like puppies. They greeted warmly:
“We just came to watch—hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it is!”
Director Hwang Jeong-gu happily welcomed them, then called me over to explain the scene, pointing at the fruit laid out in the vendor’s stand.
“Uju, you pretend to sell fruit here, then Biju will...”
“I’m right here.”
“That’s right. Biju will walk over, look at the apples a bit, then set them down.”
We nodded, understanding the staging. We’d run a full rehearsal soon, but I already got the picture.
Director Hwang said, “We need to prep the extras too, so hang tight.”
“Yes!”
“Oh, and Uju—there’s a coffee truck for you in your name.”
“Really?”
“Drink up. Thanks.”
He strode off to prod assistants, and Biju and I glanced at each other.
“Coffee truck?”
“Hyung, you got a coffee truck?”
Coffee trucks usually come from fellow celebrities or fans saying, “Please take good care of our star.” Souffle’s gifts were off-limits, so it had to be other celebrities.
“Were you the ones who did this?”
“No... we didn’t...”
Who sent it? As we approached the parking area, I asked a passing crew member:
“Oh, that? A sponsor sent it.”
“Really?”
“I forget the brand—but it had a chicken logo...”
Pondering who would thank me in my name, we reached the lot and saw a giant inflatable chicken bobbing atop a coffee truck painted with chickens.
[Agent Kim Uju, fighting~♡]
By it, Jung Jung-hyun eyed the youngest warily while Ri-hyuk fretted. And the maknae himself glared.
“What’s wrong? What’s up?”
“Look for yourself. Isn’t this too much...?”
“What... ha ha ha!”
Then Biju and I spotted the logo and dissolved into laughter. It was sent by Jiho’s father’s HoHo Chicken business.
“I’ll make a quick call...”
We watched the youngest vanish with a stormy look, then turned back to the coffee truck. While I collected my special drinks:
“It’ll be okay, right?”
“His father knows what he’s doing.”
“Aww...”
“He probably didn’t expect his son to spot it right away.”
We laughed and toasted to the good fortune of my family and Biju’s father.
