Chapter 9

The legendary army-like presence of TWICE’s male fans! Truly, their reputation is well-deserved. It seems that the number of fans had already grown significantly by this time.

From the fans, it was clear that they were indeed popular.

After the stage performance, the live signing event began. Kim Yoohyeon was seated in the second position from the left.

This was her first time experiencing a signing event, and last night, she had specifically studied the previous signatures of Kim Yoohyeon.

After trying to imitate them for a while, she felt they didn’t look very good, and instead of imitating someone else, it would be better to use her own writing habits.

If fans noticed, she would just say she changed her signature. After all, with her being present, who would doubt her?

So, at this fan signing event, Kim Yoohyeon signed her own style on the fans’ albums.

Kim Yoohyeon, her name. The previous Kim Yoohyeon signed in Korean, and although Kim Yoohyeon’s body instinctively knew how to speak and write in Korean, she found it troublesome to write.

Her new signature was something she had thought about all night.

First, she wrote a ‘Y,’ followed by two lowercase ‘o’s with a horizontal line inside, resembling the interdental fricative [θ] in English phonetics, but rounder and cuter. Finally, she quickly wrote a capital ‘H.’

‘YθθH’ became her new signature. The two ‘θ’s in the middle looked like two round eyes, very cute.

It was also a combination of ‘oo’ and ‘ee.’

Her new signature was noticed by the fans. One fan asked if she had changed her signature, and she smiled, saying it was something she had come up with herself.

She even asked the fans, “Is it cute?”

Of course, the ONCEs said it was cute!

There were indeed more male fans at the live signing event. Some male fans were quite clean and tidy.

Some male fans obviously put effort into their appearance, even wearing T-shirts with her name printed on the front. However, due to the long wait, they sweated, and when they approached her, there was a strong smell of sweat.

Kim Yoohyeon managed her expression well, pretending not to notice the smell, and while signing, she praised, “Your T-shirt is very pretty~”

Fans moved one by one from the first member to the next. Another male fan came up, and Kim Yoohyeon was surprised at how quickly she got used to the business of signing.

But the support and cheers from fans earlier made her want to reciprocate. It wasn’t just business; there was some genuine feeling in it.

She treated those who liked her with patience.

While she was signing, this male fan said, “Yooyeon, I have liked you for a long time, since your debut!”

“Thank you so much for always liking me.”

“My name is Park Hae-chan, born in 1995. I’m your oppa.”

Kim Yoohyeon sweetly looked up and called, “Oppa~”

kkkk

The fan sitting opposite visibly blushed, looking very shy.

Kim Yoohyeon found it amusing and covered her mouth with a smile. When she signed his album, she even wrote a note next to it:

“For shy oppa Hae-chan~” She also drew a heart.

She whispered to him, “I added an extra heart for you.”

The fan blushed even more. Kim Yoohyeon felt he was so happy he might burst!

He also gave Kim Yoohyeon a headband as a gift, and she leaned forward for the fan to help put it on.

Finally, the fan enjoyed the benefit of interlocking fingers, and after saying a few words, the manager standing behind hurried them along to the next person.

Fans weren’t allowed to linger too long with any one member or request unreasonable physical contact.

They were limited to handshakes and conversation.

The company also had rules against accepting gifts from fans, though letters and handmade items were acceptable.

Fans passed one by one until someone who seemed to be from her Chinese fanbase approached.

Oh? She already had Chinese fans? And they even traveled cross-border to attend the signing event?

This fan site member was carrying a paper bag to give her, but the staff stopped them from accepting gifts.

The fan said there were no expensive gifts, only letters from Chinese fans collected by their fan site. They had translated some of them and brought them to her.

My goodness! She had a Chinese fan site, and Chinese fans wrote her letters!

Kim Yoohyeon took the bag and saw it was filled with letters, feeling very touched.

This is her fan site in China, “Twice Jin Youxi,” and the sister also told her that her birthday is in July, and Chinese fans have prepared a birthday support event for her!

Jin Youxi was deeply moved by what the sister said, and the fact that she was a fellow countryman added to it!

She was so excited that she blurted out a sentence in Chinese: “Thank you all!”

She spoke it very clearly and accurately, which left the fan with wide-open eyes in surprise.

Jin Youxi quickly explained, intentionally speaking in a foreign accent and a strange tone: “I am now learning Chinese, I can speak a little. Thank you for liking me, I love you too.”

After speaking, she made a heart shape with her hands, kkkk.

Her string of Chinese words made the fan sister extremely excited!

The idol she liked was actually learning Chinese for her Chinese fans and could even speak it.

Chinese fan sister: “So can you understand what I’m saying now?”

Jin Youxi pretended to think for a moment, then nodded: “Understand, I can understand.”

She intentionally spoke the words vaguely, as it does take some time, right?

It’s quite challenging for a Chinese person to pretend to be a foreigner.

But she did understand!

The Chinese fan spoke a few more sentences slowly in Chinese to her, and Jin Youxi understood them all.

Fan sister: “Can you open a Weibo account in China? We can’t always check IG due to some reasons.”

Jin Youxi took a moment to respond: “Ah! Weibo! No Weibo, the company doesn’t allow it, we can’t open, can’t open, sorry.”

She intentionally used simple words to form sentences, but it was enough to be understood.

By now, this Chinese fan site representative was incredibly shocked! She had just said a few words to Zhou Ziyu in Chinese and then came over here.

Unexpectedly, really unexpectedly, Jin Youxi turned out to be a hidden talent in Chinese!

As long as she’s willing to learn and can speak, she’ll become a beloved treasure of the fans! Especially considering that Jin Youxi is a genuine Korean.

Korean idols learning Chinese, isn’t it just for the Chinese fans～

It’s not possible to open a Weibo account since the company doesn’t allow it, nothing can be done about that.

Jin Youxi speaking Chinese with Chinese fans caught the attention of other members sitting nearby, who were also very surprised! And then, they admired her.

Sana even asked Ziyu: “Is Youxi’s Chinese this good?”

Before Ziyu could answer, Doyeon spoke up for Jin Youxi: “Youxi studies words every day in the dorm, watches Chinese movies, and talks with Ziyu. She speaks quite well, very impressive!”

Not only were the members surprised, but even the manager standing behind them looked at Jin Youxi with a face of astonishment.

The manager went back and reported to the company: Jin Youxi’s Chinese is very good, today she spoke with Chinese fans in Chinese.

When Jin Youxi returned to the company, she was met with a review from the company’s teachers, and then… the company revived their abandoned plan to explore the Chinese market.

If one couldn’t do it, maybe another could? Why not give it a try?

Afterward, the company unusually experimented by letting the whole Twice group make a video for Chinese fans, focusing on mainland China rather than across the sea.

Interestingly, Chinese Zhou Ziyu didn’t say much in the video, but Korean Jin Youxi actively spoke a series of cute Chinese phrases.

Though there were some mistakes, it sounded cute and sincere.

Of course, this is all in hindsight.

Back to the fansign event, after sending off the Chinese fan site sister, Jin Youxi was also very happy!

Before leaving after the fansign, she heard the Chinese fan from earlier shouting her name: “Youxi!”

Jin Youxi heard it, looked over, and made a big heart shape above her head with her arms.

“I love you all～”

Tsk~ Jin Youxi seems to treat Chinese fans better!

The live video of this fansign was uploaded to Weibo the next day and even climbed to the bottom of the trending list by its own power.

An hour later, the trending topic “Twice Jin Youxi speaks Chinese” disappeared.

However, Jin Youxi’s Super Topic on Weibo became unusually lively! Twice had just become very popular, and Jin Youxi used to be quite unnoticed. The daily posts in her Super Topic were few and far between.

But because of this fansign event and the written account by the sister who traveled to Korea for the fansign, more fans flooded in!

They even saw in the Super Topic a handwritten Chinese autograph by Jin Youxi!

The complex character ‘熙’ was written a bit poorly, but it was indeed a Chinese signature.

And they heard Jin Youxi could speak Chinese? Amazing～

Chinese fans are simple and easy to please. As long as the idol sincerely shows a bit of goodwill, Chinese fans will be as happy as celebrating the New Year!

Originally, JYP had no plans for the Chinese market with this “Cheer Up” comeback, as they had basically given up after the incident at the beginning of the year.

However, since the fansign event, the number of album group purchases from the Chinese fan site significantly increased! All organized by “Twice Jin Youxi Bar.”

Although it couldn’t compare with Japanese fans, it was a noticeable improvement!

JYP, which liked to put Chinese members in the group, was thinking about the Chinese market again, seizing this opportunity.

Half a month after the “Cheer Up” comeback, JYP had Twice record a promotional video for Chinese fans.

Surprisingly, Jin Youxi became the ‘main force’ in the video.

She stood more in the middle and spoke a segment of Chinese.

Everyone said together: “One in a million, hello everyone, we are Twice!”

Then it was Jin Youxi’s solo part.

“We recently came back with ‘Cheer Up’!”

After she finished speaking in Chinese, everyone clapped and laughed together, as it was all rehearsed in advance.

“Thank you Chinese fans for your continuous attention and support. This is a lively and energetic song, and we hope it brings energy to all Onces! We will bring more good songs in the future. Please keep supporting Twice! 1.2.3. cheer up baby cheer up baby~”

Then Zhou Ziyu said a few sentences in Chinese, and the video ended.

Not long after, this Chinese greeting video was posted on Twice’s official IG and the domestic QQ Music song page.

Jin Youxi also posted a picture on the group’s IG, showing the script she wrote.

The paper had the Chinese words she said, some marked with pinyin, and some corrections.

Did she write it herself?!

After the IG post was shared on Weibo, Chinese fans were once again jubilant as if celebrating the New Year.

Chinese fans: ‘Oh my god~ Is this a Korean idol? She wrote the script herself and even marked pinyin, just like when I was a kid.’

‘To be fair, she did make a few mistakes in the Chinese, but she’s so cute!’

‘Did JYP change their strategy? Is the Chinese market now focused on Jin Youxi? A Korean? Is JYP out of their mind?’

‘Sorry, but I prefer Korean idols who like China.’

Then a flame war started in the comments, but without a doubt, Jin Youxi’s attitude greatly pleased Chinese fans.

—-

In the star-chasing world~ We like those who like us.

In the next half month, the group purchase of Twice’s “Cheer Up” album by Chinese fans increased rapidly again.

Jin Youxi’s fan site’s group purchase even surpassed Zhou Ziyu’s fans for the first time.

Jin Youxi posted photos of her diligently studying Chinese with her textbooks and notes.

Chinese fans: Never seen a Korean idol so dedicated to learning Chinese!

It turned out that Chinese fans’ blessings were still to come.

—-

In December 2016, Jin Youxi took the HSKK Chinese Proficiency Oral Test in Korea and passed with high scores!