Breaking the Tension! Episode 13: Yun Jae-Sun

Patty was not a happy camper.

It had been, what? A year or so since her first and only match in the AFW, and she’d thoroughly enjoyed all the kudos that came from such an accomplishment. Her social media skyrocketed, her Youtube shows enjoyed a much needed boost, and she was able to parlay her success into a small documentary, one that she was currently trying to get accepted by Netflix.

Yes, life had been on the upswing for Patty, except for being denied one, crucial thing: another match.

Management kept coming up with excuses to keep her out of the ring. ‘She was too inexperienced’. ‘ She was a danger to work with’. ‘She didn’t wear proper attire’. Hogwash, all of it. She knew the truth. After her resounding victory, the Tension locker room was afraid to face her, knowing that her innate, inborn skills could put any of them on the mat.

So, for the moment, she was stuck in the role they wanted her to play. Breaking the Tension. A new episode of which she just so happened to be filming right now, in the middle of the ring, surrounded by an eager Tension audience.

”Greetings, all!” She waved at the jubilant, joyous crowd from her seat in the middle of the ring, behind a desk with the Breaking the Tension logo proudly displayed. ”And welcome back to a brand new season of BREAKING THE TENSION! Yes, that’s right, Tension premier interview show has returned once again, with your girl Patty back at the helm. It’s been a long, long time, I know, I know.” She took a long sigh and shook her head at the camera. ”But Tension’s picked up a ton of new talent since I last graced your screens. We’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for, so let’s get cracking with my guest for today: Yun Jae-Sun!”

Did she pronounce that right? She hoped she pronounced that right? She’d know soon enough, because the guy should’ve been coming through the curtains for her show right about now...

The toughest moment for any performer was the delay before they emerged to greet their audience.

Whether you were an idol singer or a pro wrestler, both of these roles shared that same tension. Yun was well acquainted with it. He's both, after all. Another factor to consider was the fact that this was his first debut before a foreign audience. He was a big, household name back in South Korea. Merchandise, albums, wrestling shows, fans would line up for hours just to get their hands on them. Or even catch a glimpse of him where he made a rare public appearance to promote himself. It wasn't an aspect of his life he was hugely keen on...but he was a performer. His job was to entertain and delight the masses. And he had to admit, seeing others being made to smile thanks to him was very rewarding. More than the actual cash he drew in.

But this was the moment of truth. He hadn't proved himself to these people. His international fanbase, while devoted, was small. And if he wanted to broaden his horizon, the Popstar Prince had to go beyond his comfort zone. So here he was, mentally preparing to emerge on 'Breaking The Tension', a neutral ground for wrestlers of the AFW league to introduce themselves. Lay out their agenda. Make a statement. He felt his throat tremor with the most subtle of gulps.

"No matter the stage, an audience is an audience. And it's my place to capture their attention." A small white stick poked out of his mouth as he crunched the remains of a lollipop into pieces before swallowing, pulling the stick out to pop into the nearby trash can. "Ready or not, AFW, the Popstar Prince is here!" At the sound of the peppy girl calling his name, the boy slid between the curtains separating the backstage to the ring, his infectious theme playing as Yun grinned to the cheering masses. He was wearing his popstar ensemble, which doubled as his wrestling outfit. It made it easier to identify him when he wore the same attire for both his roles, right? However, he slid the headphones down to rest them over his shoulders as he walked to the side of the ring. Normally he'd discard them, but this wasn't a match thankfully, meaning he could still complete his look.

He seized the bottom rope to bounce himself up, turning with his back to the ropes to flash a peace sign across his eye, his index and middle finger between it as he winked with that very eye. A signature sign of his. "Thank you, thank you!" Yun declared, before tilting backwards to slide himself into the ring and handstand before bringing his feet down beside him. A small display of his acrobatic prowess, which he was famous for back home. And hopefully it would win him appeal here too.

He turned to the girl called Patty, who was seated at her desk with the energy of a firework. Yun wondered briefly if that was her genuine personality, or just a front for the show. If she was an actress, she did an impeccable job hiding it behind that electrifying smile of hers. "What an honour to be on Breaking The Tension, and especially the first guest after such a long hiatus!" He'd checked a couple of episodes out beforehand, of course. Fortune favoured the prepared and all that. "Though no one told me I'd be so lucky to get hosted by such a cute girl~" He added with a slight teasing tone, taking the empty seat next to Patty and leaning slightly against the desk, looking calmer than he actually felt. He wasn't usually the type to flirt, but his manager had advised him it would endear him more to the public base. Of course, how Patty took it might steer the questions in a certain direction...

"Ms Patty, was it? Thank you for having me here today."

Right away, Patty knew she’d made the right decision with her new guest.

She didn’t just want anyone, but someone that could really get the crowd hyped up, someone fresh, someone electric, someone young and hot and cute that could resonate the coveted 18-24 demographic. As time went on, so many in Tension’s roster grew old and stale, weren’t the fresh faces that she required. The sort that could draw eyes to her product.

Yun, however, was different. She could tell that right away, just from the way he came down to the ring, showing off his acrobatic prowess along the way. It got the audience hyped, drew the cameras his way, and set the right kind of tone for the moment. Everything she could’ve wanted. Oh, and he made sure to acknowledge her cuteness along the way. Always a plus, having a guest with a clear eye for her potential, who realized that she was part of the total package, here.

Yes, she could work this.

”Please, please, call me Patty.” She threw him a flirty wave and winked, milking the moment for all it was worth. ”And the pleasure’s all mine, we’re glad to have you here. Let’s start you off right, get you and the audience acquainted.” She tapped her cards on the desk, going freestyle for now. ”Tell us a little about yourself, Yun. What’s lead you to Tension?”