#liveblog: bstars

[sternbilder]

Buried Stars 1 Year Anniversary Tweets

The official Buried Stars Twitter just posted new art + character info for the 1 year anniversary of the game's release! Basically, it's a series of hand-written "about me" questionnaires by the TOP 5 (+Seil) as well as personal messages to each other. Full translation below!

The characters also leave cute commentary on each others' answers, so here's some color-coding for your convenience: Gyu-hyuk, Juyoung, Inha, Do-yoon, Hyesung, Seil. (For some reason some of Hyesung's comments are written in red while some are orange; likewise Seil's comments come in both green and dark teal. At least, I *think* these are just Hyesung and Seil based on what I can tell from the handwriting; i.e., I don't think red and orange are two separate characters, etc.)

Spoiler-free, but putting under a cut for length:

Let's Talk About Ourselves

Gyu-hyuk (link)

Name: Lee Gyu-hyuk

Hometown: Seoul

Former Occupation: University Student

Blood Type: A

MBTI: INFJ

Nickname: Gyu?

Date of Birth: 1992.10.03

Height: 180kg*

Weight: 80kg

Specialty: I don't really have any in particular

Hobbies: Reading, sleeping

Habits: I rest my chin on my hand

Top 3 Likes: Peace and quiet, that feeling of just understanding each other without having to say anything, the smell of old books

Top 3 Dislikes: Excessive silence, arguments, the smell of hospitals

Motto in Life: So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.**

A Person I Respect: My father*** (HS: Oho dayumm)

A Recent Worry: Being on stage is terrifying, but at the same time I also enjoy it, so I don't really know how to feel.

The TOP 5 Contestant I'm Closest To: Han Do-yoon (IH: Gyu, what about me T_T)

My Rival in the TOP 5: Youngie noona

My Best Physical Feature: My eyes...I think (IH: I vote shoulders)

When I'm Happiest: When I'm on stage and I experience that sort of wordless "connection"

When I'm Saddest: They say that the human brain feels sadness as its default state.

Who I Want to See Myself Become: A self-assured and confident person

Goals for This Year: Gaining confidence in myself through Buried Stars

What I Want to Say to Myself 1 Year from Now: That was the first step forward. You worked hard to get there.

A Message for the Viewers: It's my hope for all of you out there to be able to get to know who I am.

*He does actually say 180kg, not 180cm. Hyesung teases him about it in the replies. 😆

**This seems to be taken verbatim from the Korean translation of The Great Gatsby.

***I'm feeling a lot of emotions at how tiny and strained his handwriting is here 🥲🥲🥲

Juyoung (link)

Name: Min Juyoung ♡

Hometown: Gwangju!

Former Occupation: Singer Part-time worker...

Blood Type: O

MBTI: ISFJ

Nickname: Youngju

Date of Birth: 1991.7.12

Height: 160cm

Weight: 5? ^o^

Specialty: Vocals, dancing

Hobbies: Collecting electronics

Habits: Touching the ends of my hair?

Top 3 Likes: Family, music, training

Top 3 Dislikes: Rumors, lies, hot weather

Motto in Life: The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world.*

A Person I Respect: All those who managed to debut and rise to the top

A Recent Worry: Whenever I notice a mistake, I don't know whether I should address it, or just leave it be...

The TOP 5 Contestant I'm Closest To: Inha❣️ (IH: Wahh~ Unnie... ♡)

My Rival in the TOP 5: Hm... Gyu-hyuk? .. Sowwy T^T (GH: It's an honor!)

My Best Physical Feature: The curve going from my shoulders down to my back! (IH: ♡)

When I'm Happiest: When I have a glass of beer after a hard day of practice? (IH: Great taste as always)

When I'm Saddest: When people judge me only based on what they hear others say

Who I Want to See Myself Become: Someone who doesn't falter or fall down even when things are hard...Like a tree!

Goals for This Year: 1st place in Bstars!

What I Want to Say to Myself 1 Year from Now: I just knew you could do it!

A Message for the Viewers: I gathered up my courage so that I can make my comeback. I hope you all continue to support me❣️

*This is a direct quote from Demian by Herman Hesse, which is a fairly popular novel in Korea.

Inha (link)

Name: Oh Inha~

Hometown: Busan

Former Occupation: Dancer

Blood Type: B

MBTI: ISFP

Nickname: O-Mart -_-

Date of Birth: 1994.11.29

Height: 164cm

Weight: 56kg

Specialty: Dancing, beatboxing

Hobbies: Dancing, weight training

Habits: Putting my hands on my hips?

Top 3 Likes: Dancing, the stage, the sound of the crowd cheering

Top 3 Dislikes: Freezing up, feeling frustrated, gossip

Motto in Life: Trying anything is better than not trying at all

A Person I Respect: ✨Min Juyoung-nim✨ (JY: Wow~)

A Recent Worry: The gap between who I am on stage and who I am off stage

The TOP 5 Contestant I'm Closest To: Youngie unnie ❤️ (JY: Inha ur mine 2 ♡)

My Rival in the TOP 5: Myself? (HS: omg)

My Best Physical Feature: I feel like I look good in anything because I have a nice figure LOL

When I'm Happiest: That moment when I'm on stage and the crowd bursts into applause

When I'm Saddest: I can't really think of anything in particular

Who I Want to See Myself Become: I'm still looking for the answer

Goals for This Year: Being able to just stand tall as just me, Oh Inha (HS: It's not like you're lying down or anything?)

What I Want to Say to Myself 1 Year from Now: You finally figured it all out!

A Message for the Viewers: I can't be 5th place just because my last name is Oh, right? Let's aim for 1-Inha! (GH: In that case, am I 2nd place?)*

*The number 5 is pronounced "oh" in Korean. The number 2, and Gyu-hyuk's last name Lee, are both pronounced "yi."

Do-yoon (link: 1 2 3)*

Name: Han Do-yoon

Hometown: Daejeon

Former Occupation: Bandsman

Blood Type: A

MBTI: ISFJ

Nickname: ....

Date of Birth: Born September 5th '94

Height: 177 centimeters

Weight: Mid 60s

Specialty: Writing lyrics/Composing/Bass

Hobbies: It's going on walks

Habits: Thinking alone

Top 3 Likes: Bass · Music · Going out to eat

Top 3 Dislikes: Isolation · Uncertainty · Being hungry

Motto in Life: Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it (HS: Are you saying you’re gonna lose your mind?)**

A Person I Respect: Geddy Lee (SI: Looks like you’re the only one who wrote down a real answer, hyung)

A Recent Worry: The fact that I get too lost in my own head when thinking alone

The TOP 5 Contestant I'm Closest To: It's tough to pick just one person (GH: omg T_T)

My Rival in the TOP 5: I see everyone as both a colleague and a rival (HS: Spoken like a true you-know-what..)***

My Best Physical Feature: The heels of my feet (IH: I've never even seen those...)

When I'm Happiest: Whenever I feel like I accomplished something to my standards

When I'm Saddest: Whenever I feel like I can't do anything right

Who I Want to See Myself Become: Someone with a stable mind (JY: You can do it!)

Goals for This Year: Figure out what it is that I truly want to do

What I Want to Say to Myself 1 Year from Now: Were you able to reach the place where you were hoping to be?

A Message for the Viewers: My hope is to show you all so much of what I have to offer. (GH: Go get 'em!)

*One really funny detail is that Do-yoon is the only one who posts all 3 images in separate tweets, presumably because he doesn't know how to upload multiple images in a single tweet.

**This one is tricky to translate. Do-yoon says 정신일도 하사불성 (jungshinildo hasabulsung), which is an idiom that comes from the Chinese characters 精神一到何事不成. I /think/ what happened is Hyesung, who is not the most book smart character, didn’t recognize the saying and misinterpreted what Do-yoon meant as 인사불성 (insabulsung, lit. “becoming unconscious”). The first part of the saying “jungshinildo” sounds phonetically similar to a phrase that means “losing one’s consciousness”, and both phrases end in the syllables “-bulsung,” hence the confusion.

***He actually says ㅂㅅㅈ (BSJ), short for 배신자 (BaeShinJa) a.k.a. Betrayer.

Hyesung (link)

Name: Seo! Hye! Sung!

Hometown: Incheon~

Former Occupation: Unemployed T_T

Blood Type: A! B!

MBTI: ESFP

Nickname: Phater Star ⭐

Date of Birth: April Fool's Day

Height: Mid-170s*

Weight: 62kg

Specialty: Cute acts

Hobbies: Acting cute

Habits: Putting my hands in my pockets

Top 3 Likes: All of you ❤️, y'all ⭐, you all 🌷

Top 3 Dislikes: Patronizing people, stubborn people, being ignored

Motto in Life: ⭐⭐CAREPE DIEM⭐⭐ (IH: LOLLL he spelled it wrong and then crossed it out LOLLL)

A Person I Respect: People who succeed no matter what happens to them?

A Recent Worry: What do I need to do to get my rank up? (GH: Let's do our best!)

The TOP 5 Contestant I'm Closest To: Do-yoonie 'ung!** (JY: I thought u were gonna say meee)

My Rival in the TOP 5: I feel like I might catch some flak if I say it? LOLOL Gyu-hyukie hyung LOL (IH: ?)

My Best Physical Feature: My starlight-filled eyes 🤩 (IH: omg..)

When I'm Happiest: When I get complimented (JY: Here's me complimenting you~)

When I'm Saddest: When I get ignored

Who I Want to See Myself Become: A confident person

Goals for This Year: 1st place in Bstars‼️

What I Want to Say to Myself 1 Year from Now: To think you achieved this much...You're amazing!

A Message for the Viewers: Who's gonna be #1? The one who comes in like a comet, Seo! Hye! Sung!***

*Incidentally, his official height is listed as exactly 170.

**Seems like he's slurring "hyung" here.

***"Hyesung" is a homophone for "comet" or "meteor" in Korean.

Seil (link)

Name: Chang Seil....

Hometown: Ansan

Former Occupation: FD

Blood Type: AB

MBTI: ESFP, or so I'm told

Nickname: I don't have one

Date of Birth: 1995/02/24

Height: 168

Weight: 52

Specialty: Nothing special...

Hobbies: Music appreciation

Habits: Fixing my glasses?

Top 3 Likes: Good music, going home after work, days off

Top 3 Dislikes: Brainless people, things being in disorder, working overtime

Motto in Life: Breathe in and receive wel wealth, breathe out and receive health* (IH: Me 2)

A Person I Respect: I guess I'll say PD Shin, huhu... (HS: You little traitor)

A Recent Worry: I'm losing my mind at the formations being all messed up as a result of switching to a different stage

The TOP 5 Contestant I'm Closest To: What's even the point of a staff member forming these kinds of unnecessary personal attachments... (HS: Right you are)

My Rival in the TOP 5: I think this is a question for contestants only

My Best Physical Feature: I don't know I don't have one (DY: Your eyes...?)

When I'm Happiest: When our shows get good ratings?

When I'm Saddest: When people criticize the staff? (JY: Gasp T_T)

Who I Want to See Myself Become: At the very least, I hope tomorrow is a little better than today

Goals for This Year: Wrapping up Buried Stars with no issues

What I Want to Say to Myself 1 Year from Now: Wow another year older huh~~~

A Message for the Viewers: I wish you all would do a better job at standing in line...

*I’ve not heard this saying before, but based on a quick Google search it seems like it’s typically an expression of blessing or gratitude, so said to someone else (i.e., “may you receive health/wealth as easily as you breathe,” etc.)

What the Top 5 Think of Each Other

Gyu-hyuk

Han Do-yoon: Hey, Gyu-hyukie hyung. It’s me, Do-yoon. (SI: It says your name in the box, you know….) Whenever I see you on stage I feel nothing but admiration. I sense this deep sort of resonance, you know...I’m sure that resonance comes from something you’re creating deep inside of you. I find myself cheering you on just like a viewer, wondering just how far you’re gonna make it. Well anyway, I hope you have a good day. Bye! (GH: Write some more T_T)

Oh Inha: Gyu! I saw you put Do-yoon as the contestant you’re closest with, I thought it was me…?! LOL (HS: Just face the facts LMAO) Thanks for not getting mad when I call you Gyu LOL. To be honest, I was scared of you. You’re 1000x more gentle than you seem on TV, do people know that about you or no?

Seo Hyesung: Phew...The godly silver spoon..All us have-nots can do is cry. At least, that’s what I thought, but since your skills kick ass too I can’t even say anything. How does it feel to have it all? But y’know, if ever I say something that’s taking it too far you can tell me off. (IH: In that case then he’d probably have to say something every time you breathe) Sometimes I can’t get a good read on what you’re thinking?? (GH: I’m thinking about you)

Min Juyoung: Gyuhyuk, where did you even come from! Even I, who already debuted once, can’t help but be filled with admiration whenever I see you on stage. You’re so talented but at the same time so humble...But being too humble is also a bad thing. You know that, right? I want to know what you’re thinking about when you sing. I know we’re competing against each other, but still, I want us to be better friends!

Chang Seil: Please just pretend this box is blank. Anywayz, hyung, you’re truly the star of the show when it comes to Buried Stars. PD Shin was shocked just reading your application. Of course, you had the skills to back it up after, too. I’m curious to see how high you’re gonna rise up. (HS: You just heard from music critic Chang Gun-mo*)

*Not sure if I read his handwriting right, but I think this is a reference to renowned singer-songwriter Kim Gun-mo. Obviously, Hyesung is poking fun here.

Juyoung

Seo Hyesung: You’re pretty, you sing well, and you’ve got a nice personality. You’re a triple threat, noona! If only we hadn’t met as competitors, I would have come on stronger. 2 bad. You already debuted once, so I can count on you to help out your poor maknae, right?? (IH: Are you kidding me with this)

Oh Inha: Unnie, you are so so lovely and admirable…So much so that I feel smaller every time I look at you. I know we only met as fellow competitors in an audition show, but I hope we can keep being friends. You make me want to act like a better person than I am.

Han Do-yoon: Youngie noona! It’s me, Do-yoon. You changed so much that I didn’t even recognize you at first, but I realized it was you soon enough. It was so cool of you to come back to give it another try, and whenever we practice together I can’t help but be motivated by you. Hope today is a good day for you. Thank you very much! (HS: What, are you trying to cheer her up or something)

Lee Gyu-hyuk: Based on my first impression of you, I was surprised at how strong-willed you are. I’m more used to accommodating others, so I guess I don’t really know what you think of me. If it’s possible, I’d like to be more like you...I think I might even go as far as to call you my role model (?) Was that too out of line?

Chang Seil: Again, I’m not really sure why they're making me write these, but… (HS: If you don’t want to write them then don’t) Juyoung-ssi, you’ve got tremendous ability. In your case, during your original debut, your concept actually did a disservice to your level of skill. If you just maintain your current status on Bstars, you’ll easily rise to the top of the charts. That’s just my opinion, though.

Inha

Min Juyoung: Inha~ ♡ Whenever you’re on stage you always shine! ✨ I worried so much about how hard this would be for me, so thank you so much for always being so kind to me. You always make me feel better when things are tough! >< I wish everyone could see the warm and friendly side that you only show me. ♡ Love you ♡ (IH: I love you T_T) (HS: Truly the master of warm and fuzzy comments)

Han Do-yoon: Hi, Inha. It’s me, Do-yoon. The two of us really did change a lot in terms of looks, but you’re a born natural. The way you adjusted into it so easily was really amazing and cool to see. I think that’s definitely a strength of yours, as well as what makes you charming. You are awesome! Anyway, I hope you have a good day today as always. Bye! (SI: If someone didn’t know better, they might think you were filling out paperwork or something)

Lee Gyu-hyuk: It kind of caught me off guard when you first started calling me Gyu, but I came to like you calling me that. Because you’re just calling me by my name, without any formalities. Youngie noona said this too, but...Thanks for just treating me like a friend. I think you have a lot of aspects to you that I’m lacking in. I’m kind of jealous. (HS: I do that too you know..) (IH: In your case you go so far with it that it’s actually a problem socially)

Seo Hyesung: She sure is one without a filter. Sometimes I think, like, wouldn’t it be better to have some kind of filter? Anyway, she does have some friggin’ sweet dance moves, I’ll give her that. I wish I had joints like that... T_T (IH: Then why don’t you practice)

Chang Seil: I’m not sure why I’m participating in this, but…Inha-ssi is one contestant who’s sure to succeed. She already has the talent and charm, so I think that as long as she just gets the right kind of support she’ll breeze through Bstars and will even be able to set course for way bigger things in the future. We at Bstars had better work even harder to ensure that can happen! (IH: omg...thank u T.T)

Do-yoon

Lee Gyu-hyuk: Do-yoon! I still remember that one time that I was just standoffishly standing in the back of the room when you came up and started talking to me. When we first started I often had the thought that it was a mistake to have come out here, but thanks to you I was eventually able to get comfortable talking to everyone. I’ll always be grateful to you. A lot has happened, but...my hope is to be someone that you could come to rely on, too. Because I want to pay you back! (HS: A silver spoon who pays his debts)

Seo Hyesung: Hyung, you’re kind of more easily shaken than you look, emotionally speaking? Every time that happens, you know how much I go out of my way to make you feel better, right? You’re grateful, right? If you are then be good to me!! Bc I’m keeping track! LMAO ...I just wanted to say thanks for talking to me first (IH: Oh? That was actually kinda cute of you?)

Min Juyoung: Do-yoon, when I first met you I thought you were a demon! But ever since you changed your hair...Ohoho…? You’re always off on your own lost in thought, but sometimes it’s OK to talk about your feelings. I’ve gone through quite a bit, too, so who knows, maybe I could help? We’re always seeing each other around, so don’t be afraid to come talk to me. We may be competitors on the show, but in the end we’re all just peers who are in the music industry together! (IH: Unnie I want to be your peer too~!!)

Oh Inha: Han Do-yoon teach me how you do your makeup...And the way you manage to get it all off when you go to bed is amazing! I don’t know how you even deal with something so annoying...Also, if you ever feel like you’re having a mental breakdown or something why not freaking talk to us for once! (JY: Yeah!)

Chang Seil: Do-yoonie hyung, I think you have a good head on your shoulders. (HS: Why don’t you try saying things like that to me for once) Or maybe I should say your sense of judgment seems to shine because of your tricky situation? You’re always thanking me etc. for my advice and such, but I know most of it is stuff you’re already thinking that I’m just repeating to you. At this rate, I think things will work out quite well for you, don’t you?

Hyesung

Han Do-yoon: Hello, Hyesung. It’s me, Do-yoon. (IH: Are you writing this to your grandpa?) At first I was a little worried about getting along with you because you were so outgoing and full of energy. But after getting to know you I realized that you have an earnest side to you as well, and you’re a lot different than how you first appeared. You work hard, so I think things will work out for you. Anyway, I hope you have a good day today. Bye!

Min Juyoung: You’re really lively, but I see you quietly thinking to yourself sometimes, too. Can you tell me what it is that you’re thinking about? If you’re worried about anything, I’d be happy to lend an ear...I’m cheering you on! (HS: Then help me win more votes T_T) (JY: Oh! Well that might be a little hard~)

Lee Gyu-hyuk: Maybe it’s just a difference in personality, but I never seem to know how to act when meeting new people...I’m worried that I upset you, and it keeps tugging at my mind. Next time we meet, I’ll try harder to be more friendly. (HS: Then help me win more votes T_T)

Oh Inha: Oh, that Hyesung? He sure is a mystery, really. I mean, maybe someday we might be able to be on slightly better terms, right? Maybe if the things he said were a little bit nicer? (HS: Why are u talking to urself?)

Chang Seil: N / A (HS: Ha.. (=ヮ=))

Seil

Han Do-yoon: Hello, Seil. It’s me, Do-yoon. You’re so businesslike, so I’m always surprised at the considerate things you sometimes do for us, too. I wa I’m always grateful to you. Just know that I can see how hard you’re working. I hope you have a good day today. Bye then! (IH: Fighting!) (JY: I’m grateful, too!)

Oh Inha: Hi Seilll! I’m worried about you, what with those huge dark circles that are always on your face. Try drinking some healthy vegetable juice or something once in a while, OK…? Thanks for all our little chats here and there! Let’s both hang in there! (SI: T_T)

Min Juyoung: Hi, Seil~ Looks like those guys above me already said it all, about how hard you work. The things that PD Shin say to you...I’m sure they have good intentions behind them, but I don’t think you should push yourself to the point where you have to feel like you have to change who you are. I’m sure it’s hard, but the reason we do this kind of work in the first place is so that we can be happy, after all! (HS: A word of wisdom from a follower of the Church of Happiness...)

Lee Gyu-hyuk: I have this memory of when I appeared in the preliminaries. Back then I didn’t know anything still, so I kept looking at you and following whatever you said. I guess I can think of you as something close to a teacher. (JY: Professor Chang!) It may not be much, but I’m at least trying not to inconvenience you too much. Because I know you’re going out of your way for us in a lot of ways already. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with you.

Seo Hyesung: Why is a staff member writing these too? Mr. FD, do you think you’re a celebrity or something??? LMFAO. In that case, are you here reading these boxes where we’re talking amongst each other, too? (SI: I guess so, O Great Superstar Mr. Seo...)

[sternbilder]

Gyu-hyuk's Epilogue 3 (Re-translated)

#Buried Stars spoilers

OMG okay, I feel like I need to expand on this, because YES, it does;

So the line you're referring to is the one where Gyu-hyuk tells Do-yoon, "딛고 일어서," which, to break it down: 딛다 means to overcome or get over something, and 일어서다 means to stand up. Grammatically speaking, this is in the imperative mood, so in a very literal sense, "get over it" is...technically...an accurate translation.

However.

In the context of the scene, I think this is misleading. In the official translation, Gyu-hyuk sounds weirdly cold and dismissive, but imo he doesn't actually come off that way in the original text? I read the "Get over it" line as more like...Encouraging? Motivational? Than dismissive, personally. It's clear to me that he's comforting Do-yoon, and I was honestly surprised at the tone whiplash in the translation.

Don't get me wrong, this scene is unsettling. It feels "off" somehow. But it's not because Gyu-hyuk is being dismissive of Do-yoon's feelings when Do-yoon is clearly still incredibly traumatized, but rather:

Because Gyu-hyuk himself seems relatively unfazed, in stark contrast to Do-yoon (Not to mention the strong Dutch angle on that CG. Come On. It just adds to the subtle creepiness of Gyu-hyuk's weirdly serene smile?)

Because one of Gyu-hyuk's biggest flaws is his tendency toward codependency, and of course

Because Gyu-hyuk is the one responsible for the murders, which is like. A pretty big part of Do-yoon's trauma.

At the time that you get this epilogue for the first time, it's likely that you haven't actually seen the true ending yet. So unless you know what happens, it's easy to chalk (1) up to Gyu-hyuk's personality—or at least, the calm and level-headed front that he puts up. You have enough evidence to arrive at (2) by this point, but it's not until you learn (3), which obviously isn't revealed until the true ending, that you realize what a deeply broken person Gyu-hyuk really is.

Without some of this background, the scene honestly reads as, idk, a bit uncomfortably codependent maybe but also...Very Heavily Romantic, in a fucked up, vaguely problematic and unhealthy way? Incidentally, I was looking up a Korean let's play of this scene on Youtube so that I could transcribe it and the streamer I was watching also was straight up like, "Why does it feel like he's flirting with me" and "Oh this feels like a romance" so I know I'm not the only one thinking this LMAO.

TL;DR This epilogue doesn't feel "wrong" because Gyu-hyuk is being insensitive and selfish, but rather the opposite—if anything, his tone is excessively warm and sweet, almost bordering on smothering.

Anyway, because I really, really hate how this scene was translated, I'm going to take a crack at a fan translation that (hopefully) captures the effect of the original text a bit better? I've highlighted the lines that I think have the greatest diff:

Original Text

GH: 또 심각한 얼굴이네. 무슨 생각을 그렇게 해?

DY: 그냥 뭐… 이것저것. 형은 아직 여유가 좀 있나 봐? 맨날 문병 오는 거 보면.

GH: 여유 있긴, 너 보러 시간을 빼는 거지. ...오늘은 좀 어때?

한도윤은 창틀을 매만졌다.

DY: 복잡해. 사람들이… 그렇게 됐으니까.

GH: … 지금은, 너만 생각해.

어깨를 토닥이는 손길에 저도 모르게 움츠렸다.

GH: 아, 미안…

DY: 아냐. 내가 아직… 다 낫질 않아서.

GH: 얼마나 걸리든 푹 쉬어, 다 나을 때까지. 복잡한 머리도 풀릴 때까지. 내가 있잖아.

이규혁의 말에 고개를 들었다. 따스한 눈길이 한도윤을 바로 본다.

GH: 너, 나… 우리 두 사람은 살아남았어. 힘들면 기대. 내가… 언제든지 곁에 있을테니까. 도윤이 네가 구해준 덕분에 난 여기 있어. 언제까지라도 널 배신하지 않을 거야.

눈앞이 흐릿해지더니, 볼에 뜨거운 무언가가 흘러내렸다. 눈꺼풀 밑으로 스러져간 얼굴들이 아른거렸다.

GH: 괜찮아.

이규혁의 손이 다시 한번 어깨를 토닥였다.

GH: 서로 의지하면서 살아가자.

고개 숙인 한도윤이 이규혁의 팔을 붙잡았다. 바람이 흔들리는 창문 소리가 적막한 병실을 울렸다.

GH: 도윤아, 딛고 일어서. 내가 곁에 있을 거야.

다정한 목소리가 멀게만 들렸다.

Official Translation

GH: You look somber again. What’s on your mind this time?

DY: Just a few things… Aren’t you supposed to be busy? You visit me every day.

GH: Busy, but I always have time to drop by to see you. How are you feeling today?

Do-yoon touched the windowsill with his hand.

DY: Complicated, considering what happened to them…

GH: Focus on yourself for now.

He fidgeted as Gyu-hyuk patted him on the shoulder.

GH: I’m sorry…

DY: No, it’s just that… I’m still recovering.

GH: Just take as much time as you want until you’re fully recovered. And I hope you can stop worrying so much, too. I’ll stand by your side.

Do-yoon raised his head to listen to Gyu-hyuk. He was staring at Do-yoon with an affectionate eye.

GH: You and me, we’ve survived. Lean on me when things are rough. I’ll always be there for you… I’m standing here because you saved me. I’ll never betray you.

Do-yoon’s eyes blurred, and tears rolled down his cheeks. The faces of their departed friends glimmered under his eyes.

GH: I’m okay.

Gyu-hyuk patted Do-yoon on the shoulder again.

GH: We’ll watch each other’s backs.

Do-yoon lowered his head and grabbed Gyu-hyuk’s arm. The sound of the rattling window hit the walls of the still hospital room.

GH: Do-yoon, get over it. You have me.

His kind voice seemed so distant.

My Translation

GH: You have that somber look on your face again. What’s on your mind?

DY: Oh, you know… This and that. I guess your schedule must be pretty free still? You’ve been visiting me every day.

GH: I wish. I’m actually making time to come see you. How are you feeling today?

Do-yoon adjusted the windowsill a bit.

DY: It’s complicated. You know… considering what happened to them.

GH: …You should try to worry about yourself for now.

Do-yoon couldn’t help but flinch reflexively as Gyu-hyuk touched his shoulder.

GH: Oh, sorry…

DY: No, it’s OK. It’s… just that my injuries are still healing.

GH: Take as much time as you need and rest until you’re fully recovered. And until your anxieties quiet down a bit, too. You know I’m here for you.

Do-yoon lifted his head as he said this. Gyu-hyuk was watching him with his warm gaze.

GH: You and I… We’re survivors. Lean on me when things are tough. Because I’ll… always be by your side. The only reason I’m here today is because you saved me, Do-yoon. I’ll never betray you, no matter what.

Do-yoon’s vision blurred, and hot tears began to roll down his cheeks. The faces of the deceased wavered beneath his closed eyelids.

GH: It’s all right.

Gyu-hyuk patted him on his shoulder once again.

GH: We’ll have each other to depend on from now on.

Do-yoon lowered his head and grasped Gyu-hyuk’s arm. The sound of the wind rattling the windowpane echoed throughout the quiet hospital room.

GH: Do-yoon, you'll overcome this. I’ll be right here beside you.

His voice was kind, but it somehow sounded distant.

[sternbilder]

User Concert Q&A Excerpts, Part 1

(Part 2 here)

Not sure if folks out there are aware, but there was a "User Concert" last September where the director and cast of Buried Stars answered various questions about the development of the game, characters, etc.

There was originally supposed to be a live Q&A section at the end, but they ended up canceling it due to the pandemic and asked fans to submit their questions online instead. The ones that they answered are all compiled here.

I haven't seen an English translation out there so I thought I'd take a crack at it myself! I only picked out questions that I personally thought were interesting (because the whole thing is like 37 pages long and there maybe 4.5 of you out there who are going to see this anyway L O L) but if anyone has any questions/requests (like if there are any mentions about X or Y) I'd be happy to answer them!

This got long as hell, so I'm splitting this into 2 parts and putting it under a cut, but here's part 1, which are questions related to the main game as well as any post-game speculations.

Obviously, #spoiler warning for Buried Stars below.

Q. 무대 붕괴 사건을 겪지 않았다면, 진범은 살인자가 되지 않았을 거라고 생각하시나요?

If the stage collapse incident had never happened, do you think the true culprit would have still committed murder?

A. 아니었겠지만, 어쩌면 살인자가 되는 경우도 있었겠습니다. 대상은 자신이겠지만… Probably not, but it's possible that they could still have become a murderer. Though I suppose the victim would be themself…

Q. 신승연 PD가 이규혁에게 "그 제안"을 한 이유는 무엇일까요?

Why did PD Shin Seungyeon make “that proposition” to Gyu-hyuk?

A. 이규혁이 진상을 알고 있는지 떠봄과 동시에 자신이 통제하려는 시도였을 것입니다. 이규혁의 거절 이후 신승연의 마음에는 의심이 자라나기 시작했습니다. 협박장 역시 이규혁의 짓으로 생각 했고, 끝내 사고 현장의 그 발언이 나오게 되었습니다. She was trying to feel out whether Gyu-hyuk knew the truth, and at the same time, attempt to control him. After Gyu-hyuk’s refusal, doubt began to grow in Seungyeon’s heart. She mistook the blackmail letter as Gyu-hyuk’s doing, and in the end she ended up saying what she did at the accident site.

Q. 베리드 스타즈를 플레이하며 스토리에 인간의 선과 악, 이면 등의 철학적인 고찰을 담았다고 느꼈습니다. 이에 디렉터님이 생각하시는 "인간"은 어떤 존재인지 궁금합니다.

While playing Buried Stars, I felt that the story contained reflections on things like the virtues and evils of humanity, duality, and other philosophical topics. I'm curious as to the director's thoughts on what the nature of "humanity" is.

A. 베리드 스타즈의 등장인물들을 빌드하며 한 생각으로 국한한다면, "가면을 쓰고 자신을 감추지 만 동시에 가면 아래를 내보이길 바라는 존재"인 것 같습니다. If I had to limit it to what I had in mind when creating the characters of Buried Stars, I think that a human being is "something that wears a mask in order to hide itself, yet at the same time wishes to reveal what's underneath."

Q. C 루트에서 "그것"은 이규혁의 모습으로 현신했습니다. 한도윤이 바라던 것이었다는 이유였지 요. 그렇다면 민주영, 이규혁, 오인하, 장세일, 서혜성, 신승연의 경우 "그것"은 무엇으로 나타났을 까요?

In the C route, "That" appeared in the form of Gyu-hyuk. The reason being that that was what Do-yoon wished for. If that's the case, what form would "That" have taken in the case of Juyoung, Gyu-hyuk, Inha, Seil, and Hyesung?

A. 한도윤이 이규혁을 본 것은 "자신이 배신자가 아님을 증명해줄 사람"을 간절히 바랐기 때문입 니다. 잔해에 파묻혔을 때 생각했던 것처럼요. 그 외에 TOP 5 이규혁에게는 한도윤이, 오인하에게 는 민주영이, 민주영에게는 비러브드 멤버들이, 서혜성에게는 어머니가, 장세일에게는 신승연이, 신승연에게는 자기 자신이 보였을 것입니다. The reason that Do-yoon saw Gyu-hyuk was that he desperately longed for "a person who is proof that he is not a traitor," just as he was thinking when he was buried under the rubble. Gyu-hyuk would have seen Do-yoon, Inha would have seen Juyoung, Juyoung would have seen the BELOVED members, Hyesung would have seen his mother, Seil would have seen Seungyeon, and Seungyeon would have seen herself.

Q. C 루트가 이규혁 시점이었다면 한도윤의 전화 내용은 어떤 것이었을까요?

If C route had been from Gyu-hyuk's POV, what would a phone call with Do-yoon have been about?

A. 한도윤 자신을 “절대 믿지 말았어야 했다”고 했을 것입니다. 동시에 "믿지 말아야 했다고 이야 기하는 자신"을 끝까지 믿어달라고 빌기도 했을 것 같네요. Do-yoon would have said, "you never should have trusted me." But at the same time, I think he would have also begged him to please "trust in him until the end, even though he himself told him he shouldn't have."

Q. 서혜성과 이규혁이 둘 다 살아남는 엔딩이 없는데 혹시 계획했다가 빠진 거라면 이유를 알고 싶습니다.

There's no ending where Hyesung and Gyu-hyuk both live, but if there was one planned and it was cut, I'm curious as to why.

A. 이규혁과 서혜성이 둘 다 생존하는 엔딩은 최초부터 계획에 없었습니다. 둘은 서로 양립할 수 없는 존재이며, 이규혁이 본격적으로 탈피하는 계기가 서혜성이기 때문입니다. 다만… 그게 아냐 에서는 모두 생존합니다. 죄송합니다… …. From the start, we hadn't planned on any endings where Gyu-hyuk and Hyesung both survive. This is because the two cannot coexist; Hyesung is a catalyst for Gyu-hyuk to truly shed his skin, so to speak. If only that weren't the case, then everyone would have survived. I apologize…

Q. 모 인터뷰에서 한도윤에게는 "커뮤니케이션"과 "햄릿"이라는 키워드가 있다고 본 기억이 있는 데, 혹시 다른 인물들에게도 그런 키워드가 있는지 알고 싶습니다.

In a certain interview, I recall seeing that "communication" and "Hamlet" being listed as keywords for Do-yoon, and I'm wondering if the other characters have similar keywords as well.

A. 계열은 다르지만 레귤러 조연은 진상에 맞추어 내면을 대변하는 정서가 하나씩 설정되어 있었 습니다. 이규혁은 "자기혐오", 민주영은 "분노", 오인하는 "공포", 서혜성은 "수치심", 장세일은 "열등감"입니다. Each of the supporting cast has a specific emotion that represents their inner selves according to their own realities. Gyu-hyuk's is "self-hatred," Juyoung's is "wrath," Inha's is "fear," Hyesung's is "shame," and Seil's is "inferiority complex."

Q. 오인하는 민주영을 "빛이 나는 사람"이라고 생각하는데, 그렇게 생각한 첫 순간이나 이유는 무엇이었을까요?

Inha called Juyoung “someone who shines brightly”; what was the moment or reason that made her think this?

A. 먼저, 오인하는 옛 비러브드 팬-그중에서도 민주영의 팬-이었을 것입니다. 키워드 대화에서 민 주영을 오래전부터 알았던 티가 나지요. 오디션에서 만나 대놓고 티를 내진 않았겠지만, 항상 주 목했을 것입니다. 또한 "변화"를 위해 쇼의 지시에 복종했던 오인하와 달리, 민주영은 아니라고 생각한 일에 반대를 표명하며 대립했을 것입니다. 이런 점들이 오인하에게 더 깊은 인상을 남기 지 않았을까요? First, Inha was a former fan of BELOVED—and of Juyoung especially. In the keyword discussions, there are some hints that she’s known about Juyoung for a long time. When they met during the audition, she didn’t show it, but she always paid special attention to Juyoung. In addition, unlike Inha who always obeyed the show’s orders in order to “transform,” Juyoung would have objected to things that she didn’t like and opposed/confronted them. Wouldn’t this have caused her to leave an even deeper impression on Inha?

Q. 신승연이 서혜성을 조금이라도 사랑했긴 했나요? 단순히 가지고 논 건 아닐지 궁금합니다.

Did Seungyeon love Hyesung even a little bit? Or was she truly just toying with him?

A. 기본적으로 "가지고 놀았다"고 생각합니다. 가끔 인상적인 면을 발견하기도 했겠지만, 일단 시작부터 잘못됐습니다. 학폭 건이 불거졌을 때 신승연은 해명조차 듣지 않고 결별을 선언했고, 이 에 서혜성도 해명을 포기했을 것입니다. 신승연은 오디션 쇼에 안타깝게 매달린 서혜성의 영혼을 한 번 더 부숴버린 사람이겠습니다. Fundamentally, I think she was “just toying” with him. She may have discovered some aspects of him that impressed her, but it was a bad relationship from the start. When the school violence scandal was exposed, Seungyeon broke up with him immediately without even hearing his explanation, and Hyesung gave up trying to explain from his side as well. I suppose for Hyesung, who was hopelessly clinging to the audition show, Seungyeon was someone who crushed his spirit twice.

Q. 서혜성의 부친은 이혼했거나 죽은 건가요? 학폭 사건 이전의 서혜성은 어떤 아이였을까요?

Are Hyesung’s parents divorced or deceased? What was he like as a kid before the school violence incident?

A. 서혜성은 외동이며, 아버지는 일찍 돌아가셨습니다. 장세일의 뒷조사에서 ��신 대로 어머니는 시장에서 건어물 가게를 하고 ��습니다. 혜성이는 쭉 시장 상인들 틈에서 자랐을 것입니다. 퇴학 전에는 말썽꾸러기지만 인사성 바른 아이였겠지요, 학폭 사건 후에는 시장에 발길을 끊었으리라 생각합니다. Hyesung was an only child, and his father passed away at an early age. As seen in Seil’s investigations, his mother was a dried fish vendor at a fish market. Hyesung would have grown up with the vendors at the market. Before his expulsion, he was seen as a mischievous but polite and friendly boy, but after the incident he stopped going to the market altogether.

Q. 서혜성의 말투만 유독 나이 들어 보이는데 이유가 있습니까?

Hyesung’s particular speech style makes him sound older, is there a reason for this?

A. 서혜성은 시장 상인들 틈에서 자라 갓 스물치고 고색창연한 구석이 많은데요. 아마 시장 어른 들은 어린 서혜성을 예뻐했을 것이고, 우정과 놀이를 중시하는 성정도 여기서 비롯되었을 것입니 다. 어릴 때는 말하는 게 웃긴다며 인기도 있었겠지만... 고등학교에 진학해 송건욱을 만나며 많은 게 바뀌고 말았습니다. Hyesung grew up amongst the market vendors, so though he’s only twenty he has a lot of aspects to him that are old-fashioned. The elders at the market likely doted on him as a child, and this was probably where his emphasis on friendship and playful nature came from as well. When he was younger, his funny style of speech probably made him quite popular...But after entering high school and meeting Song Kun-Wook, everything changed.

Q. 구조 직전 분장실에서 신호 불량으로 PlugHole의 메시지가 끊기는데, 원래 이어질 내용은 무 엇이었나요?

Just before the rescue, PlugHole’s messages are interrupted due to a failed signal, but what would have been the next message?

A. "사실 나는" 뒤의 내용은 "진실보다도 네가 무사히 나오기만을 바라.” 였을 것 같습니다. After “Actually, I...” I think the next message would have been “want you to get out of there safely, even more so than I want the truth”.

Q. 신승연이 장세일이나 오인하에게 건넸다는 위로들은 진심으로 한 말이었을까요?

Do you think Seungyeon’s words of comfort to Seil and Inha were in earnest?

A. 신승연은 장세일에게도, 오인하에도 진심을 말했다고 생각합니다. 다만, 순간의 진심일 뿐이라 얼마 뒤에는 기억도 하지 못했을 것입니다. I think her words to both Seil and Inha were in earnest, yes. However, it was only in the moment, so she probably didn’t even remember them after a little while.

Q. 신승연은 마지막에 제 명을 재촉한 느낌인데요. 왜 위기의 순간에 그런 말을 했을까요?

It feels to me as though Seungyeon really dug her own grave in her final moments. Why would she say something like that in a moment of danger?

A. (범인도 마찬가지로) 패닉 상태였던 것과 더불어, TOP 5는 자신을 거역할 수 없다는 생각이 기 본으로 있었기 때문입니다. 신승연은 "금수저" 이규혁의 실체를 알고 있었기에 먼저 찌르고 들어 가면 자신을 구할 수밖에 없을 거라고 보았겠지요. 어쨌든 저는 당시에 둘 다 패닉 상태였을 거 라 생각합니다. 정상적인 판단이 가능했다면 말에도, 행동에도 분명 수위 조절이 있었겠지요 (Just like the culprit), she was panicking, and she also fundamentally believed that the TOP 5 were incapable of disobeying her. Since Seungyeon knew the truth about “Silver Spoon” Gyu-hyuk, she thought that if she came in with the offensive Gyu-hyuk would have no choice but to rescue her. In any case, I believe that at that moment both of them were in a state of panic. If they were in a situation where they retained their normal sense of judgment, then of course both their words and their actions would definitely have had more restraint.

Q. 오인하의 관계도 이벤트를 보면 부친을 신고했을 때 "웃고 있었다"는 본인의 대사와 달리 겁 에 질린 이미지가 등장합니다. 이 차이를 넣은 의도는 무엇인가요?

In the rapport conversation with Inha, she claims that when she reported her father she “was laughing,” but the image that’s displayed contradicts this by depicting her as fearful. What was your intention with this disparity?

A. 제 이야기를 할 때 솔직해지지 못하는 사람의 심리와 더불어, 담담한 듯이 이야기하는 오인하 가 그때 얼마나 두려워하며 한 발을 내디뎠는지를 부각하기 위한 설정이었습니다. I was trying to depict the psyche of someone who can’t be honest when talking about themselves. Despite how calm she acted when telling the story, I wanted to emphasize how terrified Inha must have been when taking this first step.

Q. 오인하와 서혜성은 언제부터 사이가 나빴나요? 나중에 사이가 나빠진 거라면 초반에는 서혜성 이 오인하를 누나라고 부른 적도 있을까요?

When did Inha and Hyesung stop getting along? If it wasn’t right away, was there a time when Hyesung called Inha “noona”?

A. 서혜성이 오인하를 누나라고 부른 적은 없었을 것 같습니다. 또한 둘은 서혜성이 민주영에게 공손하게 (?) 굴지 않은 사건에서 본격적으로 티격태격을 시작했을 거라 생각합니다. I don’t think there was any point when Hyesung called Inha “noona.” In addition, I think that the incident where Hyesung refused to be polite (?) to Juyoung was when they really started quarreling.

Q. 무대 붕괴 사건이 일어나지 않은 상태에서 이규혁이 신승연 PD의 비밀을 알았다면 어떤 선택 을 했을지 궁금합니다.

What would have happened if Gyu-hyuk had discovered Seungyeon PD’s secret in a situation other than the stage collapse incident?

A. 적어도 죽이진 않았을 것입니다. At the very least, he wouldn’t have killed her.

Q. 이규혁이 어렸을 때 친모에게 학대를 ��했나요? 태어나지 말았어야 할 자신 탓에 수모와 고통 을 당했다는 표현을 보니, 혹시 어렸을 때 직접 들은 말을 옮긴 것인지 궁금해졌습니다.

Was Gyu-hyuk abused by his birth mother as a child? Considering his saying that he never should have been born and that he was the cause of her humiliation and suffering made me wonder if maybe that’s something that he heard her say when he was young.

A. 육체적 학대는 없었습니다. 친모는 이규혁에게서 계속 이병희를 떠올리고 그 그림자를 좇았을 것입니다. 이규혁은 제 존재로 친모가 이병희에게서 벗어나지 못했다고 생각해왔습니다. He was never physically abused. For his mother, Gyu-hyuk was a constant reminder of Lee Byung Hee, and she spent her life chasing after that shadow. Gyu-hyuk came to believe that it’s because of his existence that his mother could never be free from Lee Byung Hee.

Q. 이규혁이 넉넉하지 않은 가정환경에도 실용음악과를 선택한 이유가 궁금합니다!

I’m curious as to why Gyu-hyuk chose to major in applied music even though he didn’t grow up in a well-do-to household.

A. 친모가 그것을 강하게 바랐기 때문입니다. That’s because those were the wishes of his birth mother.

Q. 이규혁이 가족과의 관계를 "서로 기댄다", "의지한다"는 어휘로만 설명하는 것은 의도인가요? 관계도 이벤트에서의 과거 설명과 특정 후일담에서 "힘들면 기대라, 서로 의지하며 살아가자"고 한 부분이 유사하게 느껴집니다. 이런 스크립트 어휘에 세세하게 신경 쓰신 건지 궁금합니다.

Was it intentional that Gyu-hyuk only describes his relationships with his family using words like “depending/leaning on one another”? His story about his past in his rapport events and in particular his epilogue where he said “If you’re having a hard time, lean on me. Let’s live life depending on one another” feel very similar to me. I’m curious if using these particular words in the script was a deliberate detail.

A. 맞습니다. 이규혁은 "비슷한 처지가 서로 의지하는 형태"의 관계만을 쌓아왔기 때문입니다. That’s right. This is because to Gyu-hyuk, relationships where “people in similar circumstances depend on each other” are all he’s ever known.

Q. 장세일이 베스타 탈락부터 스탭 일을 할 때까지 부모님과 어떤 관계였을지 궁금합니다.

What was Seil’s relationship with his parents like after being eliminated from Bstars and before he started working as a staff member?

A. 장세일은 군인 가족으로, 오디션 이후 특히 아버지에게 수치스러운 자식이 되었을 것입니다. Seil comes from a military family, so after the audition his father especially saw him as a shameful son.

Q. C 루트에서 ???가 "돌이키기에는 늦었다"고 하는데, 이 "늦은 타이밍"이 무엇에 대한 것이었는 지 생각하신 바가 있었나요?

In C route, ??? says that “it’s already too late to turn back”, but do you have any thoughts on what they mean by “too late”?

A. 한도윤의 마음 안에서는 "배신", 즉 “마스커레이드가 이미 끝났음을 인정한 순간”을 되돌릴 수 없다는 의미였을 것입니다. It means that in Do-yoon’s mind, it’s impossible to undo the “betrayal,” i.e., “the moment he acknowledged that Masquerade is already done for.”

Q. 한도윤은 유독 1달 넘게 병원 신세를 지는데요. 어쩌다 혼자만 그렇게 다친 걸까요?

Do-yoon is the only one who stayed in the hospital for over a month. Why was he the only one who was hurt?

A. 한도윤은 시작 시점부터 잔해에 파묻히는 큰일을 당했습니다. 정상적인 몸 상태는 아니었을 거 라 생각합니다. 구조되고 나서야 자신이 얼마나 다쳤는지 알았을 것 같습니다. At the very start of the game, Do-yoon suffered an accident where he was buried under the debris. His physical condition wasn’t exactly normal because of this. It was only after his rescue that he realized how badly he was hurt.

Q. 트루 엔딩 이후 한도윤은 마스커레이드에 다시 복귀했을 거라고 생각하시나요?

After the true ending, do you think that Do-yoon would ever return to Masquerade?

A. 개인적 의견이라면, 돌아가지 않는 길을 택하지 않았을까 합니다. 신승연의 말처럼 "이미 마스 커레이드는 끝났다"는 사실을 본인도 스스로 인정했기 때문일 겁니다. My personal opinion is that he would probably choose not to go back. The reason is that, as Seungyeon told him, “Masquerade is already done for,” and he himself already internalized that truth.

Q. 트루 엔딩 후 한도윤은 밴드 멤버들과 영원히 척을 질지, 몇몇과는 연을 이어갈지 궁금합니다.

After the true ending, will Do-yoon continue to be on bad terms with the other band members forever, or will he continue to have relations with some of them?

A. 꽤 시간을 가진 뒤에 결국 모두와 연락하게 되지 않았을까 생각합니다. I think that after quite some time has passed, he would reach out to all of them eventually.

Q. 트루 엔딩 이후 오인하와 민주영은 이규혁에게 찾아갔을까요?

After the true ending, do you think Inha and Juyoung would have gone to see Gyu-hyuk?

A. 민주영은 퇴원하고 재참가를 위해 다시 상경한 무렵부터 이규혁을 방문했을 거라고 생각합니 다. 오인하에게는 조금 긴 시간이 필요했을 것 같네요. I think that Juyoung would have paid him a visit around the time that she left the hospital and came back to Seoul for her re-entry in the next season. As for Inha, I think it would take her quite some time.

Q. 서혜성이 안타깝습니다. 정들어버릴 때쯤 가서 더 그래요. 살려내도 결국 바뀌는 게 없는데 이 친구가 행복한 엔딩이 있을까요?

I feel bad for Hyesung. Especially because he was killed right as I warmed up to him. Even if we save him, things don’t ever change for him, so is there such thing as a happy ending for him?

A. 서혜성은 베스타 쇼에서 만난 기회를 통해 성급히 자신의 길을 찾으려 했지만, 그가 택한 방법 을 통해 행복을 찾을 방법은 없었던 것 같습니다. 생존 루트에서는 이런��런 시도 끝에 남의 비 밀을 폭로하는 것으로는 반등할 수 없음을 알게 되고, 반대로 제 두려움을 드러내고 가해자 송건 욱과 맞부딪히는 게 진짜 반등의 시작임을 깨닫지 않았을까 합니다. 진짜 싸워야 하는 대상은 거 기 있으니까요. 나중에는 생존한 장세일하고도 만나보지 않았을까요? 퇴원한 한도윤까지 세 사람 이 만나는 일이 분명히 있었을 것 같습니다. Hyesung recklessly tried to find his own path through the opportunity that Bstars afforded him, but my thought is that there was no way to find happiness through the method he chose. I think that in the route where he survives, he comes to realize after various attempts that exposing others’ secrets won’t help him rebound, and on the contrary, that facing his fears and confronting his assailant Song Kun-Wook is the real start of his comeback—because that’s where his true fight awaits. Later, I wonder if he also would have met with fellow survivor Seil? I definitely think the two of them plus Do-yoon would meet again at some point.

Q. 후일담 (3)의 오인하는 언젠가 꿈을 이룰까요? 그 무대에 오르는 한도윤이 있을지 궁금해집니 다.

Will the Inha from epilogue (3) ever reach her dreams? I wonder if Do-yoon will be one of the people to perform on one of her stages.

A. 오인하는 끈기 있게 노력해 꿈을 이루었을 것입니다. 크루 멤버들로 시작해 언젠가는 민주영과 한도윤의 무대도 만들어냈기를 바랍니다. Through patience and hard work, Inha will achieve her dream. She starts with her crew members, and my hope is that eventually she gets to work with Juyoung and Do-yoon as well.

Q. 이규혁은 항상 누군가와 유대감을 느끼려는 것 같고, 강하게 의지하며 살아가기를 바라는 것 같은데요. 트루 엔딩 시점으로 출소하게 된다면 또 누군가와 강하게 의지하며 살아갈까요?

Gyu-hyuk seems like he’s constantly looking for someone to feel a connection with, and wishes to live life leaning heavily on them. If he’s ever released in the true ending timeline, will he once again live his life depending on someone?

A. 트루 기준으로 출소하게 된다면 이젠 누군가를 의지하거나 도피처로 삼지 않고 홀로서기를 할 수 있게 되었길 바랍니다. My hope is that if he is released post-true ending, he becomes the kind of person who doesn’t need to rely on or turn to others for refuge, and can instead begin standing on his own.

Q. 트루 엔딩 이후 한도윤은 음악 자체를 포기하나요?

After the true ending, does Do-yoon give up on music altogether?

A. 혼란에서 벗어나 자신이 행복해지는 길을 찾았으리라 믿고 있습니다. 거기엔 아무래도 음악이 있었을 것 같네요. I believe that Do-yoon is able to free himself from the chaos and find a path that leads him to happiness. I feel that whatever that path is, music must be a part of it somehow.

Q. 트루 엔딩 후 오인하와 민주영은 계속 연락을 하며 지냈을까요?

After the true end, do Inha and Juyoung keep in touch?

A. 자주 연락했을 것입니다. 인하가 "만들어주겠다"던 무대의 약속은 민주영에게도 마찬가지일 테 니까요. They would keep in touch fairly often. The promise Inha made to "make [Do-yoon] a stage" would naturally also have extended to Juyoung.

Q. 하수창과 한도윤은 트루 이후로 좀 친해질까요?

Will Suchang and Do-yoon become friends after the true ending?

A. 전 친해졌을 거라고 생각하지만 어느 쪽이든 도윤이가 좀 행복해졌으면 좋겠네요. 제가 도윤이 에게 선빵을 날렸다고요? 그건 그렇지요… I think that they will, but regardless, I do wish Do-yoon can be a little happier somehow. Are you saying that I’m the one who sucker-punched him? Well, that’s true, but…

[sternbilder]

Hi!! Stumbled on your blog via the buried stars tag and I'd like to say thank you so much for the kr>eng translations! There aren't many english-speaking fans so I was happy to read about the game & its characters. I was wondering, what do all the characters call each other in Korean? Or what honorifics they use? I could hear it in the audio sometimes (Gyu-hyuk: "Do-yoon-ah", or I think Seil: "Inha-ssi" ?) but I didn't catch all of them. Google tells me some of it is based off of (1/2)

(2/2) Google tells me some of it is based off of respect, friendship/closeness, or just being older/younger than one another, but I'm still new to the intricacies of what it implies about the characters' relationships and how their individual personalities are. If it isn't too much trouble, I'd love to know ^^

Hello!! You're very welcome and in fact thank you for the question, I'm always receptive to more excuses to talk about this game!

It seems like you already have some context on rules surrounding Korean honorifics. There is a lot of nuance, obviously, but to put it simply...Yes, I'd say the speech patterns the cast (particularly, the TOP5—the others are a bit more complicated) uses are what you'd see in a casual social setting between people who already know each other somewhat, but aren't necessarily friends, which is what I think I would expect from a group of twentysomethings who probably had a chance to bond socially as a cohort throughout the whole audition process (it's explained in the Q&A that they lived together in a dorm for most of the show, too). And as you've pointed out the rules there I would say are much more tied to age and closeness. I'd generally characterize their speech patterns as informal, but polite—basically, you have to use the polite form with people who are older than you, but you can use casual speech (banmal) with people who are the same age or younger. The exception is if you are close enough with someone that you mutually decide it's OK to drop honorifics despite the age difference. More on that later.

The order of the age of each of the main cast are as follows: Seungyeon (33), Juyoung (28), Gyuhyuk (27), Doyoon and Inha (25), Seil (24), and Hyesung (20). So with no other caveats we'd expect, for example, Doyoon to use polite form with Juyoung and Gyuhyuk but not with Inha and Hyesung, etc. Now, with that as the basis, here are some notes based on what I can remember, though disclaimer that my memory isn't perfect, and there are also things I might have missed because I haven't done a full playthrough yet with Korean text.

(Character spoilers for the "Other" section at the end; otherwise a few minor spoilers)

TOP5

Juyoung (28)

Juyoung is the oldest of the main cast, so she uses banmal with pretty much everyone and refers to them by name, or name + ah/ya (which is the casual vocative marker), and it's perfectly acceptable for her to do so.

The rest of the TOP5 call her 언니/누나 (unni/noona, lit. "older sister" but more generally used to refer to any slightly older female acquaintance; which one is used depends on the speaker's gender). They also sometimes call her 영이 언니/누나 (Young-i unni/noona) for short, which I thought was cute. There's actually a Q&A question that asked about this because it is a very familiar/affectionate nickname, and the director explained that Juyoung asked the others to call her that because she was afraid of seeming unapproachable due to her age and because of the fact that she was a former idol.

Gyuhyuk (27)

As the second oldest, I believe he uses banmal with everyone but Juyoung. The younger male characters all call him 형 (hyung, lit. "older brother", see above), though I can't seem to remember Inha calling him 오빠 (oppa). I might be projecting that assumption onto her based on her somewhat brash personality, since 오빠 can come off as a bit...Girlish? Cutesy? Flirtatious? in certain contexts? Idk.

Doyoon (25)

What's notable about Doyoon is that he uses the polite form with Juyoung, but not Gyuhyuk. He calls Gyuhyuk 형 (hyung), of course, but he uses the casual form, which suggests that they're close enough with each other that they've already agreed to drop formalities. Their first rapport event gives me the sense that they're especially close, too, compared to the other contestants (as does just like...waves in their general direction, but anyway,)

Inha (25)

Inha is the same age as Doyoon, so you would also expect her to use polite form with Juyoung and Gyuhyuk. However, she doesn't with either of them IIRC.

As for Juyoung, I don't remember how much of this came through in the text of the game itself, but I would guess they were probably already pretty close in a way similar to Doyoon and Gyuhyuk were. At the very least, I think I remember one of the Q&A answers indicating that they kept in touch very frequently after the events of the game.

I don't really remember too many interactions between Inha and Gyuhyuk, tbh. I do recall that she (not sure if any others do) refers to him as 규 (Gyu) at least once, which I think is adorable, LMAO. This might indicate that they may have been on close enough terms to use casual speech? But then again, she did seem to resent Gyuhyuk at least a little bit for the scholarship thing, and according to the Q&A she took much longer than Juyoung and Doyoon to see him again after the game, so??? She could just be kind of disrespectful like that, which...Kinda tracks, honestly??? 🤷‍♀️Like I said, I don't remember too much about these two, so don't take my word on this.

Hyesung (20)

Hyesung is the youngest, so you would expect him to use polite speech with everyone, but he, uh, does not. With anyone. LMAO. Maybe he's just super tight with everyone, but something tells me it's more because he's a rude little shit who's just Like That. (I mean, he uses banmal with Seil, who does hate his guts, so.) He does call everyone 형/누나 (hyung/noona), though, at least—though, now that I think about it, Seil might be an exception to that, LOL.

Since he's the youngest, everyone just calls him Hyesung.

Also, this is tangential, but I also just wanted to throw in that Hyesung notably has a slight "old man" dialect in that he sometimes uses expressions and slang that you would expect from the older generation, because growing up his only friends were the other vendors at his mom's fish market. This is unrelated to politeness, but it does come off as really funny considering how young he is, and definitely gives his speech a unique vibe.

Staff

Seil (24)

The speech patterns between Seil and the TOP5 are pretty similar to speech patterns within TOP5 itself, which is to say, fairly informal but still polite. He uses polite form with everyone older than him, and uses banmal with Hyseung. I actually wouldn't necessarily have expected this to be the case since he technically has more of a professional relationship to the TOP5 than they do with each other (so I wouldn't have been surprised if he actually used formal speech, rather than just polite), but it's probably because he's in that same age range and because he was the staff member who was closest to them socially.

I believe you are correct that he calls Inha, and Inha alone, -씨 (-ssi), which is actually formal, rather than simply polite. Probably just indicating his high level of admiration for her in particular.

The rest of the main cast just call him Seil. Hyesung also occasionally calls Seil 세일 FD님 (Seil FD-nim) which is technically extremely formal, but obviously said in sarcasm.

Seungyeon (33)

I believe she calls everyone by their full name, and uses casual speech with them. Makes sense. She's the boss.

Everyone else calls her PD님 (PD-nim, formal). Including, notably, Hyesung. AFAICR Seungyeon is the only character Hyesung shows even an ounce of deference toward in this game. 😛

Other

Suchang (27) & Suyeon (18)

AFAIK Suchang only really has in-game interactions with Doyoon and Suyeon, and Suyeon only has interactions with Suchang, who she of course calls 오빠 (oppa), in the familial sense. Though IIRC at the very end she does once refer to Doyoon as 그분 (geubun, lit. "that person") and 도윤님 (Doyoon-nim), both of which are extremely formal/deferential in tone but in kind of a "little girl talks about her crush as if they were Prince Charming" sort of way...Which causes Suchang to hilariously go into overprotective/jealous older brother mode.

The Ha siblings use casual speech with each other, which is standard among siblings. However, Suchang also talks down to Doyoon, which is pretty audacious of him considering they're strangers—he basically talks to Doyoon as if they're already friends. He's kind of an audacious guy in general, though, so I'd say that kind of fits his character.

Doyoon, on the other hand, being the polite young man that he is, uses polite speech with Suchang. There's a funny scene where he accidentally slips up and uses banmal, and then immediately gets called out by Suchang, who chews him out for talking down to someone older than him. (Though ofc Doyoon had no way of knowing this, and also, Suchang shouldn't be using banmal with a stranger in the first place.) At the very end of the true ending when they finally meet, Doyoon actually takes it up a level and calls Suchang 수창씨 (Suchang-ssi) but Suchang tells him to drop it and just call him 형 (hyung). It's sweet.

[sternbilder]

good news, guess who the VA for male ring is in the korean dub of ring fit adventure

[sternbilder]

there is an actual mechanic in this game where you can read posts on in-universe twitter and depending on what they say some can advance the story and others of them can literally make your sanity points drop

props to the realism in this game

[sternbilder]

me playing 999: has no idea who the real killer is and doesn't suspect them even a little bit, accidentally becomes attached to them, is proven horribly wrong, gets my heart ripped out of my chest

me playing vlr: suspects the wrong character the entire game, becomes attached to them anyway, is proven horribly wrong, gets my heart ripped out of my chest anyway

me playing buried stars: actually suspects the real killer the entire game, becomes attached to them anyway, is proven horribly right, gets my heart ripped out of my ch

[sternbilder]

zooms in on gyu hyuk 👀👀

ok given he's the squeaky-clean gentleman/dependable older brother type I'm calling right now that he's Secret Evil and you all know I'm never wrong when it comes to making assumptions about characters in murder mystery VNs

[sternbilder]

OHHHHH new art & character info on the official buried stars twitter for the one year anniversary 👀👀👀👀

[sternbilder]

#bstars spoilers

plughole: I can help you!! :) I'm your friend!! I'm on your side will you let me help let me help I can help I'm helping!!!

plughole: here is the world's blurriest jpeg, so you can see that I'm serious!! it's a selfie see this completely indecipherable blob?? dat me

[sternbilder]

thinking abt how hard it is to translate text with obscured/distorted segments in it in a way that's faithful to the source material

like one example which I actually think was a pretty good localization but I thought had a super interesting effect was that infamous line from nier: automata

「お前は2bを...△※したいと思ってるんだろう」

which was translated as

"You're thinking about how much you want to **** 2B, aren't you?"

which is juicy as hell bc everyone in the english-speaking world immediately assumed the **** was "fuck" (due in small part to the fact that censorship in english-language media is usually intended to obscure obscenities) whereas a lot of japanese-speaking players apparently immediately jumped to 殺す (kill) which has a super different and fascinating implication, huh

anyway I was thinking about this bc of the C route phone calls in buried stars, which were one of the best parts of the entire game for me bc they're basically like. abstract representations of Exactly What's Fucked Up About Every Character's Psyche which you could have a field day w/ wrt character analysis, but I feel like the localization really dropped the ball on them??

bc whereas korean speakers can piece together about 90% of the meaning because of the audio (even w/ the distortion), I saw some english-speaking fans complaining that the english subs are like. half just gibberish so it's impossible to get the intended meaning which is such a shame

[sternbilder]

going on korean craigslist to see if there are any copies of the buried stars collector's edition for sale and the only listings are buyers who are offering like $400 for a used copy..........

[sternbilder]

i have....a lot of feelings......about that q&a 😭😭

the fact that if circumstances were different and he had found out about the truth in not a life-or-death situation where it was revealed in the worst possible way gyu-hyuk would have never become a murderer???? but ALSO that he probably would have eventually killed himself because he never would have gotten the opportunity to open up to do-yoon and begin to heal???? god. god. god. god. god. god. GOD!!!!

gyu-hyuk and do-yoon being each other's "That" but also. EYES EMOJI at juyoung being inha's "That" (and the fact that inha has a huge crush on is a fan of juyoung???? and that they stay in touch after the show?????) all my ships are sailing, bless

hyesung's "That" being his mom though........makes me feel An Emotion.

CINEMATIC PARALLELS btwn him and gyu-hyuk for the trauma of being rejected by and longing for the affection of a parental figure

also speaking of cinematic parallels

HYESUNG AND SEIL HAVING THE SAME MBTI TYPE. LM. FAO.

"Gyu-hyuk’s is "self-hatred,” Juyoung’s is “wrath,” Inha’s is “fear,” Hyesung’s is “shame,” and Seil’s is “inferiority complex.”"

😭😭😭😭😭

hell, add "guilt" for do-yoon and let's get everyone to therapy, huh,

"Gyu-hyuk came to believe that it’s because of his existence that his mother could never be free from Lee Byung Hee."

gyu-hyuk's unhealthy codependent tendencies being put on BLAST but then the director saying that if he ever got out of prison he would eventually learn to stand on his own without having to rely on others so desperately...........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[sternbilder]

#bstars spoilers

"if you saw the final event but gave up on or failed to find the truth, he goes on to take part in Buried Stars season 5 and comes to visit Do-yoon in the hospital almost every day. He reassures the apologetic Do-yoon and suggests to him that they rely on each other, like family. At this time, he all but tells him that he loves him." (the link redirects to the page for BL)

absolutely delighted at how korean wikipedia apparently just lets you editorialize on your favorite ships right there in the page

[sternbilder]

I'm screaming

I'm reading the user concert Q&A for buried stars rn (and trying to translate some of the more interesting bits; stay tuned) and one of the questions is whether the cast ever did a combined performance

the answer: yes, and the song selected is "fly" by lee seung yeol...you know, that song that plays during some of the most emotional scenes in misaeng, a show I love to bits

anyway, this made me stop everything immediately and think about who from misaeng I'd cast as who if there was ever a kdrama adaptation of bstars, so here for your consideration (spoiler warning for bstars):

im siwan (jang geu rae) as do-yoon

kang ha neul (jang baek ki) as gyu-hyuk

kang sora (ahn young yi) as inha

byun yo han (han seok yul) as chang su (please trust me that this casting would be funny as hell)

[sternbilder]

#bstars spoilers

"for 15 minutes, s_seungyeon...trim the meat...what did you hear... suck the blood first...you'll be surprised."

I DON'T LIKE THIS AT ALL

ETA: "I'm gyu-hyuk lee. I'll kill them all."

"I'm do-yoon Han. I wish those who posted malicious comments a short and painful life."

"hyesung has good looks, but what he says always disappoints me...I want to stitch his lips together"

H-HELLO??????????????