HANEUL, MINGYU
Imagine the meeting between a giant of performance and one of the most charismatic “rookies” of the moment: it’s guaranteed explosion!
In the latest episode of “SELF-ON KODE” (셀폰KODE), MINGYU of SEVENTEEN and HANEUL of KISS OF LIFE took part in the anonymous discussion game, offering fans a moment of chemistry as funny as it was unexpected. Between questionable wordplay and cryptic clues, the two idols proved that despite their generational differences, artistic chemistry has no borders.
From the very first minutes, the tone is set: MINGYU chooses the nickname “No. 9” (his place in the age order in SEVENTEEN) while HANEUL opts for “No. 4,” a symbol of perfection for her group KISS OF LIFE. But very quickly, the conversation shifts toward humor. HANEUL tries to impress her senior with a “dad joke” about “Toshi-sal” (a cut of meat), provoking laughter and the feigned despair of MINGYU, who even threatens to leave the chat. This little game of “who will be the funniest” reveals a protective MINGYU and a confident HANEUL, determined not to be intimidated by her mysterious interlocutor.
The show takes a technological turn when the AI KODE draws portraits based on their personalities. MINGYU is represented as a “clumsy big puppy,” a description that hits the mark since he himself admits breaking or knocking over everything he touches. On her side, HANEUL is compared to a “web novel fennec,” a compliment that MINGYU quickly checks with ChatGPT in order to try to discover her identity. This sequence shows how invested MINGYU is in his detective role, even going so far as to list the names of the most visual idols of the moment to find out who is hiding behind No. 4.
The highlight of the video is undoubtedly the sharing of their personal objects. HANEUL reveals her serious side with her language learning notebooks (she talks about four of them!) and her morning kale juice, while MINGYU opts for comfort with strawberry Snickers for “White Day.” The clues eventually begin to accumulate, notably when HANEUL mistakenly mentions the group LUCY as being her seniors, allowing MINGYU to understand that he is talking with a young artist who debuted in 2023. Finally, MINGYU proposes a bold bet: 100 portions of tteokbokki if she guesses who he is, while dropping the code “ᄋᄉᄇᄋᄐ” (S.V.T in Korean).
This meeting between the “Minstriever” and the little fox of KISS OF LIFE reminds us why we love K-pop so much: for these moments of pure sincerity and mutual respect between artists. Between HANEUL’s self-care advice and the natural kindness of MINGYU, this episode is a real breath of fresh air that ends with a promise of tteokbokki and a budding friendship.
Don’t miss watching the full video to see MINGYU desperately trying to remain incognito in front of a HANEUL far more perceptive than he appears!
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: YouTube KODE 코드
