The day after the showcase, early Tuesday morning.
Makeup hair shop.
“Hey guys, I’m about to order from the café, what do you want to drink?”
While the members were getting their hair styled and makeup done, Manager Joo Da-hong was going around asking for their orders.
“I’ll have an Avarra!”
“Avarra? Nah, I’ll have an Avarra too~”
“Uh… I want a mint chocolate latte…?”
“Wow… Ye-eun, are you really a mint chocolate fan?”
“Why? What’s wrong with mint chocolate? I haven’t had it in a while, so I want to drink it~”
“Hana Unni too? This is getting out of hand! Right, Seo-yoon?”
“Then I guess I’ll have mint chocolate instead of Avarra.”
“Kim Seo-yoon, even you…”
“I didn’t like it at first, but Do-hee drank it a lot during her trainee days, so I learned to like it.”
“The whole world is a mint chocolate fan…”
“What about Chae-rin?”
“I’ll have an Americano, thank you.”
After taking the sisters’ orders, Manager Joo Da-hong approached me.
“What about Do-hee and Sera, what do they want to drink?”
“Uh… Can I have an energy drink?”
“Of course~”
Considering the upcoming schedules, I think caffeine will be necessary. I’m a bit tired from yesterday’s showcase as well.
“Does Do-hee not drink coffee?”
“I don’t like bitter stuff.”
“What to do… Your taste is cute… Then I’ll also have an Ed!”
“Sigh…”
Anyway, the reason we stopped by the shop was for the first week of our album release schedule.
It was to appear on a variety program, not a music broadcast. Of course, the grueling schedule of music broadcasts during the first week of an idol’s comeback was significant.
– Mpulse (Mwave Thursday)
– Melody Bank (KBC Friday)
– Show! Music Center (MBS Saturday)
– Trending Songs (SBC Sunday)
– Simple Korean Pop (Korean TV Monday)
– One Show (SBC MTV Tuesday)
– Show Challenger (MBS Music Wednesday)
Seven music broadcasts packed throughout the week. Even if we exclude [Simple Korean Pop] (Monday), which primarily features less prominent or rookie idol groups that don’t make it to terrestrial channels, there were still six music shows.
In particular, a lot of artists invest significant capital into beautiful sets and direction for their comeback stages. Since it’s challenging to create such sets and direction for live broadcasts, most stages are pre-recorded.
These pre-recordings usually take place early in the morning or at least by lunchtime on the day of the live broadcast, meaning that participating in the music shows would start early at the shop and run late into the night.
In the midst of such a busy first-week schedule, the reason we could appear on the variety show today was simple.
Today, we weren’t participating in any music broadcasts.
Our [Rose Nebula] stage is set to debut on Thursday’s [Mpulse].
It was supposed to be revealed first on [Mpulse].
The reason is the tradition created by ‘Mwave’.
Back in the days when there were no music shows [One Show (Tuesday)] and [Show Challenge (Wednesday)].
Only four music shows existed: Mwave (Thursday), KBC (Friday), MBS (Saturday), SBC (Sunday).
Naturally, singers would first showcase their comebacks on Thursday’s [Mpulse], and the music channel ‘Mwave’ took pride in being the first to reveal new performances.
However, after music shows popped up on Tuesday and Wednesday, ‘Mwave’ was nearly at risk of losing its title of first reveal.
Mwave began to penalize singers who did not perform first on [Mpulse], and most agencies, except for a few that weren’t on good terms, willingly or reluctantly kicked off their comebacks on [Mpulse].
Moreover, since [SAVEN] itself was a project girl group from the ‘Mwave’ show [Jump 3], it would have been the first reveal on [Mpulse] regardless of tradition.
With only two days left until their first music show appearance on [Mpulse].
During the short month-long preparation for their debut, they had been lacking media exposure, so these two days were set to be even busier.
*
[Idol Zone], a variety show that introduces idols.
As soon as the performance of the title song ‘Fell in Love’ from [Jump 3] wrapped up, the popular comedian and MC Joo Hyun-dong welcomed them, raising his voice excitedly.
“Idol Zone~ Finally, these guests have arrived! They are the ones we’ve all been waiting for! Their first-ever TV debut! Right here! SAVEN!”
“Yes! Let’s greet you! One, Two!”
-“I’m in seventh heaven! Hello! We are SAVEN!”
“It’s day one for these rookies! It’s the first time we’ve invited rookies on their debut day, and right after debuting, they’re the trending idols! Seven girls chosen by Chu-seo!”
After a lengthy team introduction led by the MC.
“Since this is officially their first variety show debut, let’s take a moment for each of them to introduce themselves~! Music~ please!”
To the beat, it was time for self-introductions.
“First up, our Ionsweet girl! Visual center! The youngest bunny! Do-hee Lee!”
With a bit of groove, she stepped to the center of the set.
She struck a pose, flipping her long hair back and delivering her line.
“Hello! I’m Do-hee Lee, here to bring coolness and charm!”
“Ooh~ The cuteness overload!”
“Don’t lie!”
…Shut up.
“Now I am the ENFP of this place! Jeon Ha-rang!”
Ha-rang Unni stepped forward in the center of the set and copied my pose.
“Hello~ I’m Jeon Ha-rang, truly cool and awesome!”
“That’s right!”
“Wow!”
…Naughty girls.
*
– Hello…! Do-hee of Seven, the no-fun zone… she said I’m no fun… Am I really no fun…? They say my face is at least funny… Ah… right…? Hello, I’m Park Ye-eun, in charge of no fun…
– Hello, I’m um… Eun Se-ra, the main vocal of Seven~
– Hello! The true leader with no shortcomings at all. I’m Hana Kwon!
– What, are you from the outside world now? Hello! I’m Kim Seo-yoon, the passionate girl from Busan!
– Hello! Main dancer shining on stage rather than in the dorm! Gong Chae-rin here!
After everyone finished their brief introductions,
the MC began discussing each member’s personal profiles.
“Do-hee has aegyo as her talent?”
“That’s news to me…? I play the piano…”
The MC interrupted me.
“We can’t see the piano here, so let’s just do some aegyo! I saw the video, it was ridiculous! Now, cute youngest, start!”
Ah.
Why does this always happen to me after yesterday’s showcase?
I should be older and debuting by now…
“Are you serious…?”
The MC gazed at me with an expectant expression.
Looking back, the members were signaling me to hurry up.
The staff in front looked like they were enjoying it.
It was clear that refusing would create an awkward silence.
“Fine, I’ll do it…?”
“Yes, please!”
I held my breath.
“Do-hee came out in the idol zone but isn’t showing it…?”
“Ahhh!”
“Wow~”
“So cute! So cute!”
“Too cute…”
No matter how twisted my feelings were, everyone else was in a festive mood.
Just kill me already…
– Ding dong ding~
The MC, who was bouncing around happily, played the ding-dong on a xylophone.
“Oh my god, so cute! So cute!”
Then she gestured to the production staff.
“Alright, now it’s time to see the real talent!”
Next, the production staff revealed what was behind the screen.
It wasn’t a keyboard but a wooden piano.
“No.”
Are you kidding me?
“I heard about it! The piano genius idol Lee Do-hee, who has won 19 awards! I’ve heard there hasn’t been any broadcast verifying that performance, so we can’t skip the verification, right?”
Damn it.
.
.
.
I drank cold water to calm myself down.
I sat down at the piano.
“What are you going to play?”
The Mephisto Waltz, a piece inspired by Goethe’s Faust.
“I’m going to play the Mephisto Waltz.”
The MC looked at me as if he had no idea what that was.
“You might not recognize it at first, but when you hear the climax part, you’ll go, ‘Ah, this!'”
Mephisto Waltz.
I gently placed my hands on the keys and began to play.
It started with the feeling of fear or dread facing Mephisto.
In other words, I hit the keys short, dry, indifferent, and strong in a continuous motion.
Picture it like playing percussion.
But the first note was deep, finishing each phrase lighter as I went.
As I moved to the second part, the feeling became a bit more exciting.
It should give off the vibe that Faust is being manipulated by Mephisto, the demon.
Using a pizzicato technique like string instruments.
Pressing the keys pizzicato-style made me feel a bit shaken.
As I wobbled, I played longer like a horn, laying down a percussive melody beneath it.
The third and fourth parts needed a vertical feeling.
In other words, something more is required.
It needed to feel like a variation.
Same situation but with a change in emotion, perhaps.
I’m not sure what the composer, Liszt, was thinking.
But I needed to think from Liszt’s perspective and play as if performing a variation piece.
Amid the intense melodies, there would be moments of softness.
Perhaps expressing the demon’s sweetness.
When the same notes repeat in the sheet music, I swap my fingers.
The tone and melody change depending on finger pressure.
As I drew closer to the climax, I should abandon a structured feeling, freeing myself to play with warmth, shedding the emotion of trying to protect myself.
It felt like pulling out my heart.
A personal touch that comes and goes, repeating warmth and coldness.
But as I went deeper, I had to grow colder.
Like my own self was disappearing.
During this time, I eased the bass notes in my left hand and raised my right hand on the keys.
Playing high notes like a fairy flying, as if swayed by Mephisto.
Adding more fluidity.
And then, the climax—a fortissimo.
Playing like I was releasing all my power, liberating my arms.
“Wow…”
Once the climax was over, there was no need to play anymore.
I just needed to enjoy the applause and cheers in silence.
“Why am I so cool?”
Oh.
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