Chapter 92 - If You Wish to Grow More
“Ah… if you say it like that, it sounds as if I joined Haram Entertainnt because I have ulterior motives toward Team Leader Baek Hyeon-woo.”
Lee Su-gyeong was slightly surprised, but she imdiately returned to a gentle expression and explained.
“Although I am a fan of Team Leader Baek, it's just that I beca a fan out of respect for how cool he is working as a manager in the entertainnt industry. That's why I ca to Haram Entertainnt, wanting to work with him, so I hope you don't misunderstand.”
Saying that, Lee Su-gyeong looked at Kim So-yeong.
“Last week on 'Music Big Show', you said 'Team Leader Baek Hyeon-woo, whom all our mbers respect and love', So-yeong-ssi, but that didn't particularly an you love him romantically, did it?”
“Well… I suppose so?”
Kim So-yeong answered with a bewildered expression.
“It's the sa for . I absolutely didn't co to Haram Entertainnt harboring any ulterior motives, so I hope you won't misunderstand for no reason.”
“……”
Hearing Lee Su-gyeong's calm explanation, Seo Na-eun eventually bowed her head.
“I'm sorry. I didn't an to accuse you of coming in with such ulterior motives either. I apologize.”
“It's okay. It's fine.”
Lee Su-gyeong smiled and waved her hand.
The atmosphere had suddenly beco serious, but it seed to have been resolved well.
Baek Hyeon-woo inwardly admired how Lee Su-gyeong calmly cleared up the misunderstanding.
With such an agreeable personality, it seed she would be able to do the manager job well.
“Then I'll co back soon to greet you formally again. See you then!”
While finishing her greetings and leaving, Lee Su-gyeong whispered to Baek Hyeon-woo.
“You're extrely popular with your dedicated idols too, Team Leader Baek.”
“Pardon?”
“Even soone like who only saw you through videos beca a fan, so of course the people who saw you directly by your side would fall for you even more.”
As he stayed silent because he didn't know how to answer, Lee Su-gyeong made an eye smile and said.
“I'll take that part into consideration and work hard to support both you, Team Leader Baek, and Newstarz. Leave it to .”
……
After Newstarz achieved the music show all-kill, Baek Hyeon-woo beca incredibly busy.
This was because requests for broadcast and event appearances ca flooding in.
Especially for events, there was a big change not only in quantity but also in quality.
To put it bluntly, they started paying much more money than before.
‘So the event appearance fees really do jump several tis if you get 1st place on a music show.’
If this trend continues, how much money will co into Haram Entertainnt.
He thought about calculating it once, but soon gave up.
Because if Newstarz becos more popular in the future, he'll have to recalculate anyway.
In any case, it seed clear that Haram Entertainnt was going to beco more prosperous in the future.
If the company's situation improves, there will be more things they can do.
‘Then I'll be able to play a bigger role too.’
The problem is that Baek Hyeon-woo only has one body.
Therefore, he had to divide the work quickly.
Baek Hyeon-woo started taking Lee Su-gyeong, who had officially beco a manager, around and teaching her the work.
After working together for a few days like that, Baek Hyeon-woo could confirm that Lee Su-gyeong was much more capable than he had expected.
‘I think we hired the right person.’
He had felt it since he first t her, but her ability to handle all sorts of tasks amicably was excellent.
Not only that, but she ticulously took care of each mber one by one, and showed careful consideration everywhere.
She was even quite good at driving.
“Su-gyeong-ssi, could I ask you to drive the mbers to the dorm today? I have sowhere I need to go separately.”
“Yes, I'll drive and drop them off.”
As Baek Hyeon-woo trusted Lee Su-gyeong with seeing the mbers off, Lee Su-gyeong tilted her head and asked.
“But where are you going today? It's already late.”
Saying that, Lee Su-gyeong covered her mouth with her hand and put on a surprised expression.
“Ah, don't tell it's a date with a girlfriend? At this late hour...?”
“No, it isn't.”
“Huhu, I know.”
Lee Su-gyeong removed her hand and smiled.
“Because I’ve already heard from the kids that you don’t have a girlfriend, Team Leader-nim, so I’ve grasped the situation.”
“Why did they say such useless things...”
“For your reference, I don't have a boyfriend either.”
“……”
When Baek Hyeon-woo stared without answering, Lee Su-gyeong put her hands on her waist and made an angry expression.
“Ah, you just thought to yourself, ‘I wasn’t really curious,’ didn’t you? You’re too much.”
“No, I didn’t.”
To be honest, he just didn't think anything.
“Since you’ve retired as an idol now, I think it would be okay to get a boyfriend.”
“If I think I want to get a boyfriend, does one just fall from the sky?”
“I think you would get one quickly if you just set your mind to it, Su-gyeong-ssi.”
“I’m grateful you see that way, but it’s not like just anyone will do.”
That was true, too. Since she would want to date soone who fits her taste.
“And right now, I have Newstarz and you, Team Leader Baek Hyeon-woo. So it’s okay if I don’t necessarily date separately.”
Speaking like that, Lee Su-gyeong covered her mouth with her hand with an 'oops' expression.
“Ah, I don’t an that I think of you like a lover, Team Leader-nim.”
“I know.”
After leaving the rest to Lee Su-gyeong, Baek Hyeon-woo headed to a bar in Gangnam, Seoul.
It wasn't a private room style, but it was a place where privacy was respected due to partitions.
The person he was eting had already arrived and was waiting there.
“Congratulations on the Newstarz music show all-kill, Team Leader.”
“Thank you, Ha-ryeong-ssi.”
Today, the person Baek Hyeon-woo was eting was N.A.N's main vocal, Ha-ryeong.
It was a eting to keep the promise of having a drink before she transferred to Haram Entertainnt.
“But you’ve experienced sothing like a music show all-kill several tis, right, Ha-ryeong-ssi?”
“I suppose so.”
N.A.N is a popular girl group ranking within the top five in the country.
They have experienced sweeping 1st place on music shows several tis too.
“Ah, but it wasn't like that every ti. It depends on who cos out during the sa period. There were many tis we couldn't even beco a nominee for 1st place, let alone win 1st place.”
“That must be true as well.”
“Music show rankings originally have that kind of aspect. No matter how well you prepare, if you’re unlucky, that happens.”
“Looking at it in that sense... Newstarz taking 1st place on music shows this ti must have been because the timing was good.”
“That’s right.”
Ha-ryeong nodded.
“Honestly, if it had been a ti when a new N.A.N song was out, they absolutely wouldn't have been able to take 1st place.”
“……”
Although Newstarz defeated N.A.N on 'The Idol' and took the win, that was only a victory in a single-round showdown.
Because N.A.N boasts popularity far surpassing Drum Fire, it is highly likely they would have overtaken Newstarz and taken 1st place on music broadcasts.
“And Korea is packed with singers who are more popular than N.A.N. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
“Therefore…”
Ha-ryeong said while tilting her glass.
“Your task from now on, Hyeon-woo-ssi, will be growing Newstarz so that they can compete head-on even with those kinds of singers.”
“……”
Baek Hyeon-woo looked at Ha-ryeong for a mont with his mouth shut.
“What should I do for that?”
“What are you doing asking that?”
“Because you must know a lot.”
Ha-ryeong is a veteran who has been active on the front lines of the idol industry for 7 years.
At least in terms of experience, she is far ahead of Baek Hyeon-woo.
“Hmm… well.”
Ha-ryeong was lost in thought for a mont.
“Newstarz is pushing forward with the direction of being a sowhat skilled group, right?”
“That's right.”
Professional idols who show outstanding skills in both singing and dancing, and do not lag behind anyone.
By pushing forward with that concept, they were able to win on 'The Idol' as well.
“If so, it would be good to start having the mbers do so composing soon.”
“Composing?”
“Originally, popular groups usually have one or two mbers who know how to compose. It was the sa for N.A.N too.”
Ha-ryeong explained slowly.
“If idols sing songs they composed themselves, their identity becos that much clearer. From the fans' perspective, they also get a feeling of much more sincerity.”
“Is that so?”
“You know CVN too, right, Hyeon-woo-ssi?”
“Of course I know them.”
CVN is Korea's best boy group, boasting worldwide popularity.
They enjoy enormous popularity to the point of being considered cultural icons representing modern Korea.
“Since their debut, CVN has continuously communicated with fans while uploading songs they made themselves onto music sites. Though they uploaded a lot of cover songs too... anyway, fans ca to cheer for the image of CVN growing into ‘artists’ who make their own music themselves.”
“The image of growing into an artist...”
“It's that kind of ‘narrative’.”
Narrative.
That concept appeared again here.
“Of course, idols who compose solely with their own power from beginning to end are rare. There are many cases where other composers or producers help. Still... challenging oneself to compose is an elent that can evoke imrsion and support from fans.”
As a sunbae in the idol industry, Ha-ryeong advised seriously.
“If you wish for Newstarz to grow more as idols, try making them start composing.”
……
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
The next day, when Baek Hyeon-woo visited the CEO's office and brought up the topic, Baek Yeon-ah nodded.
“Certainly, if they can compose, there are many rits in various ways. To increase Newstarz's ardent fans in the future, it would be better to have self-composed songs.”
Saying that, Baek Yeon-ah picked up Newstarz's debut album that had been displayed next to her desk.
“This ti we only released one new song in the form of a digital single, but next ti, we’ll release several songs at once in an album format like this. It looks good if one or two of the mbers' self-composed songs are included there.”
As the digital music market beca active, the need to release an album every ti like in the old days disappeared.
However, releasing an album is sothing that has various rits even in the current market.
Especially if a physical album is released, it becos highly advantageous in the competition for 1st place on music shows.
Because even on HBS ‘Music World’, they almost had 1st place snatched away because of Drum Fire’s album sales score.
Fortunately, they were able to take 1st place this ti, but there is no guarantee it will go this well next ti.
Next ti, they might have to compete with top-class singers who are much more popular than Drum Fire.
This was a strategy in preparation for that ti.
“If we release a physical album, and on top of that include the mbers' self-composed songs... it would help when taking 1st place on music shows next ti, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Baek Yeon-ah was also aiming to take 1st place on music shows consecutively.
Because she had no intention of being satisfied with achieving a music show all-kill just once by getting lucky and raiding an empty house.
To take 1st place next ti as well, this kind of strategy was also necessary.
“Then we’ll have to have them study composition in earnest.”
“Yeah, because we can't tell them to make a song and release it right now.”
By achieving a triple crown on the terrestrial music broadcast charts, the short-term goal was achieved.
Now, they must move on to the next goal.
Having them acquire composition skills will be the first step to achieving the next goal.
“So, who do you think would be good, Hyeon-woo?”
“Huh?”
“We can’t tell all five of them to make songs, you know.”
Baek Yeon-ah asked, placing her elbows on the desk.
“Who do you think would be good to take on composition, Hyeon-woo?”
The five mbers of Newstarz.
Among them, who would be good to take on composition.
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