"Please, please tell me the route to put Lee Sejin in a prison uniform—there was one in the MV, it’s there, I swear, I just don’t know it, please"
"The gag ending where Cha Yoo jin escapes on his own is hilarious—I laughed nonstop every time they showed him charging off, seriously [laughs]"
"OMG, Bae Sejin actually lost his wallet on his way to work and it turns out Cheong Woo stole it [laughs] it’s in the guard version!! [Capture]"
Clues, clues, clues.
Normally, after the comeback MV is released, there’s a few days’ gap before the music show appearance.
Fans usually spent that time on SNS news, teasers, or small content, building excitement. Or they’d binge-watch the MV on repeat while anxiously awaiting the broadcast....
"Ahhhh finally Yoo jin put on the guard uniform ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ so freakin’ happy, he even put it on perfectly, my baby"
Everything had changed.
The fan community and SNS, flooded with spoilers and guides, videos and captures and collectible photos, was like a festival.
Here, TeSTAR’s side generously announced that the ‘Normal Ending’ and ‘Bad Ending’ were streamable.
They’d made such a bold stunt both to spark word-of-mouth and because they couldn’t miss a promo opportunity.
Besides, you had to buy the album to experience it directly.
The code on the photocard included in the package that opened the ending was tied to one account only, so pirates couldn’t see the ending!
"[laughs] that’s so slick"
"But I’m worried it’ll be cracked soon once all the cracks are made ㅠ"
"Still, it should hold until first-week sales are tallied, right? And I love that USB sales count toward album numbers"
"Seriously a new world, so fun"
Moreover, the lyric booklet, audio files, and concept photos downloadable from the game title screen, when revisited after gameplay, offered a uniquely moving experience and were praised.
"The game really deepens the album narrative.... I used to hate the world-building so much, but now I’m saying this"
Overall, it was a completely novel attempt.
And totally unexpected.
They’d definitely drawn attention.
[TeSTAR actually put a real game in the album]
[<127Section> Ruins Factory team’s new project: TeSTAR album (no joke)]
[TeSTAR’s insane live-action game playthrough [laughs]]
Fans who never imagined the MV extension would be a game were stunned, and word naturally spread online.
"The MV was actually a game introduction?"
"What the heck [laughs]"
"TeSTAR really does everything, respect from magic boy days to staunch otaku path"
"I want to try it too—what’s the quality... do I just buy the album? Which one do I get?"
On YouTube, game streamers who couldn’t miss this bait were already playing.
Because Isejin’s prologue was so shocking, it made for great reaction content—total win-win.
Of course, tastes and opinions clashed and some noise arose, but that only fueled the buzz.
A promotion you couldn’t buy with money.
"If I order from the official site now, will it arrive tomorrow? I took the bus to the store and it was sold out ㅠㅠ"
"Which version do I start with?"
"TeSTAR’s new title game OST?? What’s going on??"
Thanks to this, album sales skyrocketed.
The simple package—USB, playback box, photocard—actually lowered the barrier to purchase.
And at the start of this storm of activity:
“Phew.”
The home-maru was utterly absorbed in the game.
The live-action scenes felt cinematic, the interactive choices and luck-based thrills appealed perfectly to her.
She poured all her free time into it.
“Park Mundae’s cut is seriously so pretty....”
She was replaying the VER 2 album, which focuses on the prisoner side.
Playing VER 2 from the prisoner perspective through the album USB opened the chapter in Park Mundae and Cha Yoo jin’s past.
"Oh, those two having that intense power-struggle conversation in the lab gave me chills"
"└Wasn’t it so sad and poignant?"
"└What choice did you pick"
"└The right one, of course"
Later, when the thieves were caught, events played out with them in prison garb, and there was an event where you overpower the guard and put the guard in prison clothes.
"Park Mundae throwing the prison uniform at Big Sejin looked so personal, felt like true friends not acting"
"└[laughs]"
And you could uncover a bit about the experiments the prisoners endured:
"[■■■■ 10ml administered: detects items beyond 100m
– dizziness, hallucinations, headaches reported]"
“Hmm, they’re experimenting to create superhumans?”
It had that eerie, American-style creepiness.
Cha Yoo jin seemed super sharp with heightened instincts, and Mundae seemed to have psychokinesis!
“...though he did vomit.”
After replaying the bad ending where Mundae collapses after recreating the scene smashing the CCTV camera, she sealed away the psychokinesis....
Anyway, VER 2’s prisoner play felt that way.
Similar to the thief side but darker, focused on the facility.
But VER 3 was a bit different.
On the guard side, it started from Isejin’s perspective, playing as if cooperating with the thieves.
"Shh"
"...!"
"Be quiet and follow me"
“Whoa.”
It felt like she was the guard on their side, pretending not to see them.... Of course, she actually planned to betray them all at the end.
Isejin’s humming line was gold:
"It’s so comfy and nice~ they walked in themselves, broke the rules...."
“Ack!”
The spicy kick of VER 1’s prologue lingered powerfully!
Thus VER 3 became a thrilling play where the player wonders when they’ll get betrayed.
“Wait, hold on.”
Suddenly she realized: the key shape in the MV was exactly the VER 1 album USB.
The other two versions looked slightly different in the MV.
And on the product page when selling, most people buying only one album would have picked VER 1....
Before that, during pre-orders without info, they sold the set only.
‘And even those who bought all three played VER 1 first, since it matched the MV.’
She’d done the same.
So most people see the thief scenario first, then the prisoner or guard stories.
They enjoy the basic flavor first, then keep discovering new elements with mounting tension.
“Wow.”
She was amazed.
She couldn’t articulate this clever multi-play design—she’s not a game expert—but it resonated deeply.
“Unbelievable.”
Anyway.
So in VER 3, the thieves got to roam alongside Isejin in the navy-blue uniform!
No more hiding choices.
Instead, new events let them access facility files or learn more.
"Keep It Safe, so ‘KIS’.... what are we keeping safe?"
"Um, the outside people?"
"...from what?"
"From all dangers? I dunno~ how would I know, I’m just staff"
Fortunately, as Isejin saw the thieves bond slightly with the prisoners and realized the prisoners hadn’t actually broken any rules to be locked up, her beliefs wavered.
"They were kidnapped"
"Me too"
"...hmm"
Through various events, she accepted Ryu Cheong woo’s offer to partner with the thieves.
"Shall we?"
"...!"
"My contract’s about up for a new job anyway~ for me"
“Oooh!”
She even succeeded in recruiting Guard Isejin among many TeSTAR members....
Yet she only saw the Normal Ending on repeat.
“Why!?”
Even though she made the syringe choice to spoiler-escape and saw the thief outfit, it was still the Normal Ending.
“What the heck....”
Too scared to approach Ah hyun, so that’s why?
[We made it out of this damn facility.]
The ending credits rolled every time with no epilogue!
All that remained was Park Mundae’s amazing thighs.... Anyway.
So this time she prepared thoroughly.
“I’ll do it....”
Avoiding spoilers, she searched for a guide and sat back at her computer, fists clenched.
She’d figured it out—the true ending condition!
“First they said start with VER 1....”
She clicked the game icon and quickly replayed, reviewing the guide.
"No matter which side, recruit everyone except Seon Ah hyun, then meet Seon Ah hyun at the front gate!"
“When I hid, the dice popped up—that was the clue!”
That choice wasn’t the ‘right’ one. If you meet without all recruits, it’s game over, but if you meet after recruiting everyone, the true-ending event triggers!
“Got it.”
Then at the fateful moment:
“Just around this corner....”
She shut her eyes and ignored the ‘Hide’ option.
And finally.
Tap, tap.
Bae Sejin, who tapped the key on the pad, flinched and turned.
From around the corner strode the blond guard in navy uniform, boots first.
The screen froze.
“...phew.”
She clenched her fist. And....
"......"
Silence with haunting BGM.
Seon Ah hyun stared at the key in Bae Sejin’s hand.
Then scanned the six similarly dressed people around him.
Short, suffocating close-ups alternated.... Then the guard spoke.
"There it is"
"...!"
"The jewel"
She covered her mouth.
“Whoa!”
Yes.
The jewel the thieves sought was just false bait the facility scattered to lure test subjects. Seon Ah hyun had told them it existed.
Then he turned and walked away unfazed.
Tap, tap....
Onscreen, Bae Sejin swallowed.
"...what now?"
▶ [Follow him – Trust]
▶ [Ignore him – Distrust]
“...phew”
This was a no-brainer.
If following here didn’t lead to the true ending, it wasn’t the true ending!
She confidently clicked ‘Follow him’ and the characters moved after Seon Ah hyun.
"..."
He guided them through the complex facility perimeter at a brisk pace.
Down, down.
After a couple dice-roll checks....
Vrrrrrr—
"...where is this?"
They arrived at a small iron door with a keypad beside it.
To the tune of a modern organ BGM, Seon Ah hyun stood by the door.
The six key-holders approached the pad.
Then, the blond guard said:
"Front side"
"...front side?"
She panicked.
What does ‘front side’ mean when entering the code?
‘Is there something on the front of the photocard?’
But no matter how she looked, Kim Rae bin’s photo of him biting an awl had no hint.
‘Only this on the back...’
[AW23-5DQ2-B25E]
Just as she about to panic, Bae Sejin’s narration played.
"The code was written on the back of the male’s photo among the buried data, not the front."
‘Exactly!’
"But why say front side?"
"...wait, front side?"
“...!!”
She realized: reading the back text from the front perspective means....
‘It’s reversed! The opposite direction!’
So the code....
Clatter clatter.
She typed:
[AW23-5DQ2-B25E]
and reversed it to:
[E52B-2QD5-32WA]
“Yes!”
Hit Enter.
Vrrr—!
A bright light, and the iron door began to open.
Her toes tingled.
‘Wow....’
After the light dimmed:
Inside the screen, a small room with metal walls on all sides.
In the center, a hexagonal glass case held a beautiful emerald-green jewel.
Ecstatic BGM played.
‘The prop is so cool....’
The camera slowly zoomed in on the jewel....
A gloved hand reached out. Then....
▶ [Take the jewel]
▶ [Question him]
"......"
She crossed her arms.
The game had no save/load. You could skip seen events, but choices were final.
However.
‘I need to uncover the truth.’
That’s what her SNS friends said the true ending meant!
Like a detective, she swallowed and pressed ‘Question him’.
Then Bae Sejin withdrew his hand and turned to Seon Ah hyun.
"...why did you lead us here?"
"......"
"What’s your purpose? Why give us the jewel—tutáculum?"
At that moment.
"...! Wait."
Someone interrupted.
Prisoner Park Mundae, now in thief’s leather suit, swiftly asked in a low voice:
"Tutáculum?"
Bae Sejin replied:
"This jewel is tutáculum."
Park Mundae’s face went pale:
"No, that’s... the drug they give inmates here."
"...!!"
"It’s not a jewel. Tutáculum is the code for the drug here."
Crazy.
‘The drug that grants superpowers...’
Come to think of it, it was green too. She covered her mouth again in shock and stared.
"......"
The camera panned.
Ryu Cheong woo looked at the blond guard and asked:
"So then, what is this jewel?"
At that moment.
The screen went black.
"...?!"
Then Seon Ah hyun’s voice softly echoed in the dark:
"The mysterious and terrifying guard with the black truncheon did not speak."
"But at the end of his gaze... was a prisoner."
Gentle BGM, then the screen brightened again.
Revealing an attic.
A board game on the floor, TeSTAR sitting in warm lamp light.
The teaser scene.
"...??"
She was confused!
But Seon Ah hyun’s calm voice continued:
"It’s the players’ turn."
Cha Yoo jin and Park Mundae, who had played the prisoner roles, both twitched their brows.
Ryu Cheong woo, resting his chin on his hand, spoke thoughtfully:
"They saw the prisoner. Did they want to give the jewel to the prisoner as a reward?"
"No one’s more of a psychopath than them, why would they do that."
After Cha Yoo jin’s grumble, Park Mundae rubbed his chin and said:
"Hmm, if a hacker convinces multiple people so quickly to join up, they could be a future threat. Maybe they intended to give the real jewel and send us back. It’s deception."
"Ah~ so they have no regrets."
Seon Ah hyun nodded and chuckled brightly.
"Okay! Then I’ll say this."
The scene sucked them back into the secret facility.
There, guard-costumed Seon Ah hyun said:
"I have a question too~"
"‘Keep It Safe’—that motto. Isn’t it actually ‘Sacrifice’, Guard Captain? What are we really keeping safe?"
"I thought there were rules, but you hardly keep any, do you~"
From then on, a true debate used the facility secrets uncovered during gameplay.
And the conclusion was....
"Not a prison but a research institute."
They were researching the drug tutáculum that grants strange powers, to fully control it!
‘Oh.’
Piecing collected info together was thrilling.
"Right?"
Why it zoomed back to the attic I still don’t know, but Seon Ah hyun’s gentle voice was pleasant:
"But the blond guard neither flinched nor answered."
"Uwooow!"
"Should we fight?"
"Let’s fight. I’ll roll the die."
At the fighters’ response, Seon Ah hyun, holding a book, nodded with a smile:
"Okay, then... who?"
"Obviously the strongest person should."
"......"
Kim Rae bin clicked his tongue reluctantly and picked up the dice. Seon Ah hyun also picked up his.
"I’ll roll a six-sided. Max is 6. The players have the ten-sided, max 10. Big difference."
"But if the player rolls lower on the ten-sider, they can overpower the Guard Captain."
It sounded absurdly stacked, but everyone nodded, totally immersed.
She did too—then reality hit.
"Wait, am I rolling?"
And she was right.
“Whoa!”
Seeing the dice on screen, she almost screamed internally calculating probabilities, then hovered her mouse.
And clicked,
"Ah."
Rollllll....
The ten-sided tumbled to a stop... showing....
[5]
‘Oh no.’
Too low!
She felt her blood run cold and swallowed as she watched.
The game continued.
Seon Ah hyun tossed the die into his book so the result was hidden.
Then, his expressionless guard overlay flickered briefly over his face.
‘Huh?’
Moments later, Seon Ah hyun smiled and closed the book, revealing the black die’s number....
[6]
"He overpowered him."
"Awesome!"
"Oooh~"
Cheers broke out.
"So, everyone..."
Seon Ah hyun closed his book with a grin:
"You’ve obtained the jewel and successfully escaped the ‘KIS’ Foundation."
"I was your game master."
Applause erupted.
"Ah~ that was fun!"
"Thanks for inviting me. It’s really fun."
"Ah, no...."
Seon Ah hyun smiled softly and set down the paper book he held.
As he said earlier, he was the one running this board game.
‘I feel like I’ve seen this in a US teen movie?’
No wonder it felt like American high-teen style!
She nodded.
"Ah hyun really was the key role!"
Fans of Ah hyun might be disappointed at his short screen time, but immersed in TeSTAR’s cute on-screen moments, she let it slip by.
"You nerd, you hated it at first but you actually enjoyed it~?"
"If anyone at school talks about what happened today, you’ll regret it."
"You lousy brat!"
As Cha Yoo jin and Isejin bantered, Kim Rae bin rubbed his chin; his silver accessory clinked.
"The setting’s 2025, right? They say the world ends in 1999, so playing someone just with strength in a later era...."
"Being an abducted test subject is better than that."
Test subject’s better.
Kim Rae bin replied bleakly, but Park Mundae just snorted, and Seon Ah hyun chuckled at that sight.
Amid that gentle scene, Bae Sejin smiled and put down his die.
The narration continued:
"A secret detention facility, superpower experiments, hackers and thieves, and a thrilling escape. What a journey."
On the board game, the jewel token was shown in close-up.
"The secrets we uncovered were astonishing, but perhaps other stories hide beneath."
"Even if we replay the same story, it’d be fun."
The camera panned the attic bathed in lamp light with TeSTAR seated round.
"...I hope to come play again someday."
The camera rose, capturing the warm circle of TeSTAR.
Subtitled to the album’s softly rearranged sub-track:
[True Ending]
~In the tutáculum.
It was the true ending.
“Ha....”
She leaned back in her chair.
So this game was, in concept, the 80s American teen TeSTAR from the previous album playing a board game....
‘So that’s the repackage album...’
It all connects....
Feeling an indescribable rush, she watched the ending credits rise again, replaying past scenes in her mind—attic scenes, character details.
“.......”
Her excitement surged without end.
She was eager to see the stage—but still had to wait.
So.
"I’ll play again!"
She handled urgent tasks, then re-clicked the icon to reconnect.
This time a different version.
"Guard side!"
She’d saved Park Mundae’s main finale for last!
And to see the true ending again, she skipped through events.
"This is so fun."
Her heart raced. What new surprises would this version show?
At the moment they all in guard uniforms pressed the code!
"Yes!"
She grabbed the photocard and began typing it reversed again:
[E52B-2QD5-32WA]
‘Perfect!’
And at Enter—
‘I knew it, the door opens and the jewel....’
Instead:
[%EA%B8%B0%EB%8B%A4%EB%A0%B8%EC%96%B4]
Instead, the blond guard looked back at the camera.
Seon Ah hyun.
‘...huh?’
"You pressed the wrong code."
"...??"
"This is the code for the other version."
And onscreen, uniformed Seon Ah hyun smiled.
It was the first guard’s smile.
"That’s okay."
"But... you pressing it wrong means..."
He lifted his gloved hand to the camera.
"That you’ve played a lot."
"...?!"
Just now... play?
"Right? So you’ve played enough to slip up even when you know it needs reversing."
The BGM vanished.
In an instant... the camera angle shifted.
Where once the game world showed all the members, now only Seon Ah hyun remained.
Then:
"Let’s keep playing."
The hidden route began.
