Chapter 93 - If You Take on the Role of Producer
“I think I’ll need to give it so thought regarding who would be good to take on composition.”
Baek Hyeon-woo answered with a composed attitude.
“I don't think I should make a hasty judgnt here.”
“Yeah, give it so thought.”
Saying that, Baek Yeon-ah wore a bitter expression.
“Actually, this is sothing I should be judging. But right now, I want to trust your judgnt more, Hyeon-woo.”
“……”
Usually, he would have accepted it as an expression of trust.
But right now, there was so complex emotion contained in Baek Yeon-ah's voice.
“First, take your ti and talk with the kids, too. There might be soone who really wants to do composition.”
“Yes, understood.”
Baek Hyeon-woo answered like that and left the CEO's office.
Leaving behind Baek Yeon-ah, who kept staring at the debut album she had picked up earlier.
……
“Welco to the Newstarz 3rd anniversary event, ‘3rd Shooting Star’!”
“Waaaaah!”
Newstarz's 3rd anniversary event was held in downtown Seoul over the weekend.
This was one of the reasons Baek Hyeon-woo had been frantically busy recently.
They had booked the venue a few months ago, but no matter how much he thought about it, the capacity seed too small, so he changed the venue.
Thanks to that, the work he had to do increased enormously.
“Wow, really a lot of people ca.”
Park Yeong-ho, who had been frantically busy just like Baek Hyeon-woo, smiled broadly.
“This is the first ti so many people ca for a solo Newstarz event. Though there were almost no solo events in the first place.”
The total number of seats today is 1,500.
Compared to the past 1st and 2nd anniversary events, the scale has grown much larger.
“It would be nice if we could hold a solo concert later, too.”
“For a solo concert, more people have to co than now, right?”
“That’s right. Unless we’re just doing it modestly, for a full-scale concert, double the number of people now have to co. Generally, girl groups hold their first concert at a venue with a scale of 3,000 to 4,000 seats.”
Could they fill 3,000 seats if they held a concert now?
It was hard to predict.
“Gravity, the attraction that always pulled ──♪”
On stage, Newstarz began singing ‘Gravity’.
Today is not a concert but a fan eting, and talk is the main focus rather than singing.
Still, all five were singing their hearts out for the fans who ca to the venue.
Watching them, Baek Hyeon-woo opened his mouth.
“Director Park.”
“What?”
“‘Gravity’ is a song the CEO made, right?”
“Correct.”
Park Yeong-ho nodded.
“The CEO produced all the songs included in the debut album. She even composed half of them herself.”
Selecting the mbers, deciding the concept, organizing the album... it was Baek Yeon-ah, who took on the role of producer, who did it all.
Just like Producer Jeong Geun-taek who made Drum Fire, she had directed everything.
However, that was only until the debut album.
“Why did she stop producing after that?”
“Hmm... She never said it directly, but the reason is obvious.”
Park Yeong-ho answered while scratching his head.
“The results of Newstarz's debut weren't exactly great.”
“That...”
“Joo Ga-hee suddenly dropping out did have a big impact, but from the CEO's perspective, she couldn't help but feel responsible.”
“……”
“So eventually, she ended up taking her hands off producing.”
Baek Hyeon-woo felt his heart grow heavy.
Today was the first ti he had heard the details regarding this matter.
“Actually, the CEO was soone who had achieved quite a track record as a producer. That's why she confidently went independent and launched Newstarz, but...”
Park Yeong-ho trailed off and sighed.
“She lost her confidence. It's really a pity.”
“Do you think she has no intention of returning as a producer?”
“I wouldn't know about that. Why don't you try asking her yourself, Team Leader Baek?”
“……”
Baek Hyeon-woo recalled the face of his aunt, who had been lost in thought holding the debut album.
How much must she have blad herself all this ti?
‘Still, Newstarz’s debut song wasn’t bad.’
————
[Gravity]
Public Appeal: A
Lyrical Quality: B
Addictiveness: B
Completeness: B
– Affinity with Newstarz (Main Vocal: Yoo Jeong-ah) is 85%.
————
Looking at the song information window, it was quite decent.
Especially with an A in Public Appeal, it could be considered a song sufficient for success.
Even Drum Fire’s new song, which competed with Newstarz for 1st place on music shows, was only a B in Public Appeal.
Drum Fire was a popular group with strong fandom firepower and Newstarz was a rookie group that had just debuted, so they couldn't be compared on the sa level... but anyway, it was a song with enough potential for success.
However...
————
[Gravity]
Public Appeal: A
Lyrical Quality: B
Addictiveness: B
Completeness: B
– Affinity with Newstarz (Main Vocal: Kim So-yeong) is 55%.
————
Regrettably, the compatibility with the main vocal at the ti, Kim So-yeong, wasn't very good.
Like this, even with an A in Public Appeal, there were limits.
Newstarz were already rookies with no na recognition, and their teamwork was a ss due to Joo Ga-hee's sudden departure... so it was bound to be difficult to succeed.
‘If Newstarz’s main vocal had remained Joo Ga-hee... how would the affinity have turned out?’
It was impossible to check the affinity of Newstarz (Main Vocal: Joo Ga-hee) now.
It seed he couldn't check through the information window unless they actually belonged to the group.
‘Auntie must have created "Gravity" assuming Joo Ga-hee would take the main vocal role. So the affinity would have been higher than when Yoo Jeong-ah was the main vocal.’
Even with just 85% affinity, it received a lot of favorable reviews.
If Joo Ga-hee had been the main vocal, "Gravity" would have been a huge hit, and Newstarz's fate would have been different.
Then Baek Yeon-ah wouldn't have felt responsible and quit being a producer.
‘It was Auntie who selected the mbers, and she is arguably the person who knows Newstarz best. It would be great if Auntie took on the role of producer for the next album.’
To raise the quality of the album, a capable producer must take command.
It would be better for Baek Yeon-ah to directly take charge of producing rather than just proceeding with the in-house A&R team or commissioning an external producer.
‘Even when the mbers make their self-composed songs, if Auntie guides them, a more proper result would co out.’
What should he do to make his aunt return as a producer?
One more worry was added to Baek Hyeon-woo's list.
……
“Then, a special video just for this event! We will show you the choreography practice videos for Gravity and After girl!”
“Waaaaah...!”
Newstarz practicing choreography in training outfits played on the screen.
In the anti, the mbers ca down from the stage to catch their breath.
“You all worked hard. Rest for a bit and let's go back up.”
Backstage, Baek Hyeon-woo spoke to the mbers who had worked hard.
“Anyone need to go to the restroom? There won't be any timing to go until the end now.”
“Ah, I'll go now.”
Laura reacted to Baek Hyeon-woo's words.
He considered asking Lee Su-gyeong to accompany her just in case, but since she was wiping Seo Na-eun's back with a wet towel, Baek Hyeon-woo decided to go with her instead.
“The restroom is this way. Let's make it quick.”
Baek Hyeon-woo took the lead and guided Laura to the restroom.
Although this restroom was located in an area accessible only to staff, he checked the surroundings carefully just in case.
“I'll wait outside, so let's go together when you're done.”
“It’s not like you’re my boyfriend; what’s with waiting outside the restroom?”
Grumbling for no reason, Laura entered the restroom.
Right after that, he felt the presence of soone approaching nearby.
“……”
A man was walking toward the restroom.
Unlike Baek Hyeon-woo, who was wearing a na tag around his neck, there was nothing around the man's neck.
However, the man didn't even glance at Baek Hyeon-woo and slipped straight into the n's restroom.
‘He isn't wearing a na tag, but is he an event staff mber? His attire gives off that vibe.’
The reason Baek Hyeon-woo followed Laura was to prevent any unforeseen accidents.
Because an ardent fan might trespass to see the idols closer up.
The event venue today didn't have strict security, so caution was needed.
“Were you really waiting the whole ti?”
Just then, Laura ca out of the won's restroom, shaking water off her hands.
“Since this place is a bit secluded. Just in case.”
“You don't need to be overprotective to that extent.”
He was about to return to the stage while conversing with Laura.
At that mont, he felt a presence from behind.
The man who had entered the n's restroom ca back out.
“What’s wrong?”
“……”
n take less ti in the restroom than won.
Therefore, it wasn't strange for him to co out this quickly.
However, there was one thing that bothered him.
It was the fact that the sound of running water wasn't heard at all.
Just monts ago, the sound of Laura turning on the water to wash her hands could be heard from the won's restroom. Perhaps the water pressure was strong, as the sound reached all the way outside, but no such sound ca from the n's restroom.
Did he just co out without washing his hands?
If not that...
“Where are you heading?”
Baek Hyeon-woo spoke to the man.
At that, the man approached closely and pointed toward the stage with his right hand.
His other hand, the left one, was inside his pants pocket.
“Toward the stage.”
“What business do you have there?”
“Well...”
The man answered in a sluggish tone as he approached.
The mont he confird that the man's eyes were fixed on Laura, Baek Hyeon-woo felt a familiar sensation.
It must be thanks to observing Seok-joon of Drum Fire for a week.
‘He’s a guy who ca here high on sothing weird.’
Although the status window wasn't visible, he intuitively felt it.
Baek Hyeon-woo moved imdiately.
He grabbed the man's left arm, which had its hand in the pants pocket.
Then the man made a strange noise and tried to shake Baek Hyeon-woo off. In the process, the man's left hand ca out of his pocket.
“……!”
The man was hiding scissors inside his pocket.
And not just ordinary office scissors, but sharp and pointed scissors used for dical purposes.
What was he planning to do with those?
He certainly didn't bring them with good intentions.
Perhaps he intended to snip off Laura's silver hair.
“Oppa...!”
Laura’s sharp scream rang out.
Just before the man stabbed Baek Hyeon-woo with the scissors, Baek Hyeon-woo pressed down hard on the man's left elbow with his hand.
“Aaaack!”
Imdiately after, the man scread in pain and dropped the scissors from his hand.
It was because Baek Hyeon-woo had directly compressed the ulnar nerve passing through the elbow.
Usually, nerves are protected by muscles or fat layers in most cases, but when the ulnar nerve passes through the elbow, it passes defenselessly through the space between the skin and the bone.
For that reason, if it receives an impact, the ulnar nerve gets crushed between the skin and the bone, causing severe pain.
The tear-jerking pain that lasts for a while when you bump your elbow sowhere is also because this ulnar nerve received a direct impact.
‘During study sessions, Sunbae-nim ntioned it as a good pressure point for self-defense.’
Unable to withstand the nerve pain, the man curled up.
Baek Hyeon-woo used that opening to pin the man down with his whole body.
“I-I’ll go call soone!”
“Laura!”
Laura tried to run off urgently, but Baek Hyeon-woo called out to stop her.
“Call them as quietly as possible.”
“Huh? But...”
“We can’t let the 3rd anniversary event be ruined by sothing like this.”
“……!”
It is the first large-scale solo event Newstarz is experiencing.
He has to handle it quietly so that all the fans enjoying the event can go back ho with only good mories.
“Okay!”
With a flushed face, Laura ran off like the wind.
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