Chapter 152

– Why are we making a fuss over just a couple of idols making music?

└ For real, lol. It’s not just Do-hee Lee and Gong Chae-rin doing the composing.

└ Anyone can do it with a little help.

└ Of course, we have to acknowledge the efforts of these rookies, lol.

It was a comment attached to an article that had spread around the community.

According to the comments, it’s true that many idols are now participating in composing and writing lyrics in the music industry. If you just search for “composing participation,” you’ll see. Promotional articles have filled the news.

[Pure Girl, fansong ‘Always’ released… All members participated in writing and composing]

[Three M’s Ina solo debut, participated in new track composition… “High completeness”]

[Paramax Woojae joins as a composing idol, could they become a self-producing idol?]

This could be seen as a sign that the professional nature of idols is shifting from just singers to versatile entertainers, raising the required skill level.

However, experts and the public alike weren’t really interested in these articles; they had simply become so used to the sheer volume of information that they naturally came to understand.

That participating in composition isn’t as easy as it sounds.

In reality, composing is about creating melodies, so if you can just hum a melody that pops into your head with a simple “la la la~”, you could be credited as a composer.

But arranging is a different story.

Arranging involves modifying and rearranging the melodic lines created in the composition process, as well as creating supportive elements like accompaniment, counter-melodies, and choruses, making it a secondary creation process.

In other words, arranging not only participates in composing but also becomes the main contributor to filling in the song’s structure with depth.

Naturally, the musical skills required for arranging are double that of composing.

Musical knowledge of sound, rhythm, and harmony.

The ability to understand and utilize the characteristics and sounds of instruments.

Understanding the structure and form of music.

Proficiency in arrangement software, aka DAW.

The ability to effectively edit and modify recorded audio.

Musical expressiveness and aesthetic sense, too.

That’s why it’s tough for members to be self-producing idols acting as main producers.

[Seven reveals ‘Wee Hours’ tracklist. Main producers ‘Gong Chae-rin and Do-hee Lee’]

And that’s why this article garnered even more interest.

===============

[What? It’s not just composing but main producing?]

I thought they were just getting credit as producers for doing a little composing and also directing outfits or concepts, but they really did the whole arrangement part, too?

– Yeah, looking at the tracklist, it shows someone else as the primary composer for the title, but the arrangement is mainly done by Do-hee and Gong Chae-rin. They composed and arranged all the songs together.
“Well, the main composer for the title track is someone else, but the arrangements are a priority for Do-hee Lee and Gong Chae-rin. They created everything for the B-side track, from composition to arrangement.”

└”Wow… Aren’t they both teenagers? What kind of talent is that?”

– “Is it really surprising that they arrange as well as compose?”

└”Yeah, it is! Arrangement is way more specialized; it’s completely different.”

└”Arranging requires a solid knowledge of harmony, so usually it’s the folks who’ve played instruments for a long time who do it well.”

└”Classical experience, dang!”

– “Honestly, what can’t they do?”

└”Stay quiet, be still.”

└”Chae-rin is good at that.”

└”Do-hee can’t do it though.”

└”So Chae-rin is better.”

└”Yep.”

– “Ugh, I want to marry Do-hee Lee and serve her for life.”

================

[Seven is coming back with self-production]

And from the get-go, Seven received significant attention as a top girl group with the title of self-production, attracting even more interest.

In an instant, their title track’s streaming stats on music sites skyrocketed.

And the fans who monitored the annual charts daily couldn’t help but feel ecstatic.

================

[Unsatisfied Watermelon User Count Trend]

(Chart Image)

“If it goes like this, they might actually take the annual #1 next monthㅠㅠㅠ Oh, it’s just insane.”

– “Wow, jackpot!”

– “An annual chart #1 artist, dang!”

– “There are 4 major awards, but only one chart #1.”

– “So they couldn’t make it happen even after streaming like crazy, but now it seems possible?”

– “For now, let’s all stream hard, let’s go!”

================

But for now, it was still a mixed bag of blessings and challenges.

*

Do-hee’s Home Mama murmured while looking at Do-hee through the monitor.

“How can they even think of making a comeback at this time…?”

It would have been easier to understand if it were another group.

There would at least be a chance to believe it was a song they prepared before debut.

But Seven was a project group born out of a survival audition.

The assumption that they had been preparing since before their debut was, of course, impossible.

This meant that after the summer comeback, they were working on songs and recording them while practicing for concert and tour stages.

“Seriously, how rushed must it be that they don’t even have a teaser for the title track…”

Thinking of the members who must have been overworked, she couldn’t help but worry.

She felt like starting a funding campaign to send a truck to Shock Enter at any moment.

But there was no solid evidence.

Only circumstantial feelings remained.

“Should we just send them something…?”
“Send it…?”

But Do-hee, the party in question, seemed perfectly fine.

The Home Mama recalled the bubble message Do-hee had sent yesterday.

[GeniousProducerDohee: I’m fine, not tired at all! I’m actually super excited about the song release!]

[GeniousProducerDohee: By the way, look at this! It’s a photo I took while working!]

[GeniousProducerDohee: (selfie) Aren’t you dizzy because of me?]

Do-hee, who even changed her nickname to ‘GeniousProducerDohee’ to joke around, clearly wanted to reassure the fans and not worry them.

Thinking about Do-hee…

“Ha… I’m scared of Lee Do-hee. She knows exactly what she’s getting into.”

However, even while she was scrapping this cute anecdote to post on SNS, the Home Mama felt a tinge of anxiety.

“Okay, putting all that aside… I just really hope the song is good…”

It was the worry that the song might turn out poorly.

No matter what titles or subtitles were attached—arrangement participation, self-producing—what mattered was the song since the idol was a singer.

“The annual chart situation will basically depend on the new song… If the song is bad, sigh…”

Especially since this was the first title that Do-hee directly made, the responses would be predictable if the song was even slightly bad.

Antifans would be thrilled to drop hateful comments saying it’s overrated.

So, the anxiety was unavoidable.

Moreover, Do-hee was just a beginner.

The Home Mama drummed nervously on the desk while watching the clock.

Finally, at 6 PM.

The comeback title was announced.

[SAVEN 세이븐 – ‘광상곡(狂想曲)’ Official MV]

“Ha…”

With trembling fingertips, the Home Mama clicked on the video.

It began with dawn settling into a bluish-gray forest, and faintly a song was heard, ‘Unsatisfied,’ aiming for number one on the annual charts.

“My eyes are slowly turning red

And you spread inside me like poison”

As the song played, the screen quickly skimmed over grass where many footprints hadn’t yet faded.

Then, the footsteps came to a stop.

Slowly, the camera’s gaze lifted.

Filling the screen was a vast clearing in the middle of the forest and a campfire surrounded by members.

Among them, Ye-eun slowly turned to look at the camera.

Then, with an oddly chilling tone, she spoke.

[Oh, unni.]

As soon as she finished her sentence, all the members turned their heads and eyes toward the camera in an instant.

—Thud

The music came to a halt.
The sound stopped.

“…What is this, horror? I don’t like horror…”

Then the intro of the new song started.

It was a lively beat, not horror at all.

“Huh?”

—Ba bam ba bam

As Home Mama focused on the suddenly changed atmosphere and song, the camera turned to the protagonist among the members, Hana Kwon.

At the same time, with the start of the first verse, the members instantly came alive and began the choreography, looking straight ahead in perfect timing.

“The situation is serious, but being with you

But I also know about fate.”

Haráng’s bright voice for the intro.

Somehow, Home Mama’s mouth slightly curved up, and she exclaimed without realizing it.

“What is this? Why do I already like it…?”

“Baby, maybe we’re a twisted fantasy

Still an unfinished adventure

But we’re still side by side.”

What was good wasn’t just the song.

The choreography that mixed cheerleading and hip-hop brought to mind a sense of liveliness and cheerfulness.

“Maybe we’re going crazy,

But there’s nothing to be afraid of,

We’ll do everything we can.”

Among them were dances pointing at each other.

And every time the members pointed at each other, the camera angle spun around sharply.

“This time that was nothing,

In this moment when dreams unfold.”

The music video seemed to focus on performances.

So, they must have created glamour with camera movements.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t have been my type of situation.

I would have been frustrated, cursing at Shock Entertainment for the lack of investment and support.

But strangely, watching the music video made me feel otherwise.

“This moment when my heart races,

Cool like superheroes.”

The code and melody certainly had a not-so-bright vibe.

But strangely, the rapid beats created a cheerful atmosphere.

The relentless joy created by that delicate harmony.

The big choreography that hit the beat perfectly.

In the end, the members and Do-hee shared smiles as if exchanging emotions while looking at each other in the music video.

Worry seemed like a waste.

The vibe conveyed by the song was just too good.

Home Mama decided to just be her usual self and indulged in it.

“Ah… Do-hee, unnie, you’re really crazy.”

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