Chapter 136
“Hey kid, you’re gonna fly the furthest. I’m watching you.”
“Beyond the clouds, crossing the sky.”
“…….”
The song that had been skimming along, relying solely on lyrical guitar riffs and the members’ voices, gradually embraced the sounds of cellos and violins, resembling an orchestra. By the time it hit the highlight, they added rhythmic claps to the harmony and chorus from the members, creating a blend of lyricism and excitement—totally unexpected!
Some might call it overly classical. Others might scream “so old-fashioned!” The basic rhythmic foundation was akin to acoustic and country, genres far from trendy in girl group music these days.
Yet, despite that, Cheon Jong-hoon found sophistication in this song called “Albatross.”
“That annoying jerk.”
Once again, the man named Seon Taeyang, who left an unforgettable impression in Cheon Jong-hoon’s mind, sprang to his thoughts.
“Oh please, if you’re so suspicious, why not hire a pro? I’m confident, you know.”
Seon Taeyang had no manners.
“Could it be that you’re not confident?”
That was also incredibly rude.
But even Cheon Jong-hoon had to admit one thing—Seon Taeyang was indeed talented enough to rival or threaten him. That made him feel even more ridiculous.
“I’ve become a fan of Gyeoul.”
That foolishness of lowering himself to declare himself a fan.
“The K-pop scene should be built on a thorough professional sensibility. If you attach such cheap emotions like fandom to the artist you manage, it’s like publicly declaring you’ve lost the right to hold the keys.”
To Cheon Jong-hoon, who subscribed to such a system of music and aspired to reach the Peak through it, Seon Taeyang, who could be a prominent figure but still claimed to be a fan, seemed utterly foolish. Especially because it was clear he had the talent for greatness. But that wasn’t all there was to the impression he had of him.
“Was it jealousy they called it…?”
At that moment, Cheon Jong-hoon vehemently denied the word “jealousy” that Cheon Aram had mentioned. He was confident he wasn’t soft enough to feel jealousy towards some punk who had nothing but talent.
Even now, he insisted he couldn’t be jealous just for having that talent. After all, he never felt that way towards another genius like James Oh.
And only now, having recognized that difference, did Cheon Jong-hoon admit that he had harbored jealousy toward Seon Taeyang.
If someone shines, the one next to them must shine less. If the system shines, the artist will merely become a tool; if the artist shines, the system will merely be seen as a cumbersome shedding of skin.
If the strum shined, the system would be seen as a cumbersome shed skin.
In the end, the artist and producer were destined to battle for control throughout their lives. To avoid becoming a consumable alternative that could be easily used up.
This was the thought that Cheon Jong-hoon, the producer, had built up over a lifetime.
However, Seon Taeyang was different.
“I do hope that Gyeoul, like a gem, shines. That’s why I wanted to join SS and provide support. But it wasn’t the only thing I wanted.”
He was a manager.
“I just hope that in that light, Gyeoul is smiling.”
At the same time, he was a producer.
A person who could shine a light on idols without losing his own glow.
Instead of sharing limited light, he was someone who could make that light shine even brighter.
No one in the world recognized the talent that Seon Taeyang possessed; only Cheon Jong-hoon saw it. Because of that, he experienced jealousy for the first time in his life.
And Seon Taeyang proved it. With the song titled “Albatross,” he confirmed that Cheon Jong-hoon’s judgment was not wrong.
Cheon Jong-hoon felt a thrilling jolt running from his fingertips as he muttered to himself.
“Yeah, if Seon Taeyang is that punk, then he should be able to pull this off. That’s how you make it interesting. If it’s against my life’s greatest masterpiece, Alcest, this much is necessary!”
In fact, Cheon Jong-hoon couldn’t say that his situation was particularly favorable right now.
Since he had overstepped his bounds to disrupt Seon Taeyang and Han Gyeoul, the solid foundation he’d built for his successor had crumbled, and now his younger brother was watching keenly for an opportunity to swoop in.
Investment and authority were dwindling. Nonetheless, if he couldn’t make Alcest succeed now, he might have to leave behind an irrecoverable career and hand over his place to his brother.
In that sense, the emergence of a powerful rival called Girl Revolution was an unshakable misfortune for him.
Yet, despite these calculations flashing through his mind, a smile crept onto Cheon Jong-hoon’s face.
“Alright, let’s show him that there’s still a wall that he, that kid, can’t overcome.”
Cheon Jong-hoon now fully recognized Seon Taeyang’s talent. But that didn’t mean he was giving up on his musical philosophy filled with his life’s essence. Rather, his competitive spirit surged.
This was a drive to prove that his system, and Alcest, were ultimately more right than that young genius.
With a surge of creative and competitive drive, Cheon Jong-hoon began to recheck the already finalized audio file. More passionately than ever, to create a better song to beat Seon Taeyang and Girl Revolution.
“….”
His secretary, Seo Soo-yeon, watched him from behind with a shaky gaze, unable to hide her anxiety as she bit her nails.
While biting and gnawing.
*
After working late at TwoBear as the head of finance, Seo Soo-yeon dragged her tired body home. She straightened her suit as nicely as possible and took a quick shower, only to be greeted by a bizarre sight when she got home.
It was her older sister, Seo Soo-ae, coming out of her room.
“Why are you coming out of my room, sis?”
Seo Soo-ae, caught off guard as if she hadn’t expected to run into her, met her gaze boldly and said, “Yeah, I thought maybe there was some trash in your room while I was cleaning mine.”
“Trash?”
That was a strange statement. Showing such consideration wasn’t typically Seo Soo-ae’s style.
If someone were to ask if they got along, Seo Soo-yeon would say no. But if they asked if their relationship was close, she’d shake her head just the same.
Both Seo Soo-yeon and Seo Soo-ae had lived under the protection of the Cheon family, trained since childhood solely to support Cheon Aram and Cheon Jong-hoon. Because they spent most of their time serving him and her, they didn’t end up seeing each other much. Even though they lived together because of family rules, their relationship was more like distant relatives who only met during holidays.
Thus, despite being sisters, they had a rather indifferent relationship and preferred to keep their privacy intact, trying not to get too involved with each other.
That’s why Seo Soo-ae’s current behavior felt oddly out of place.
“Why are you doing something like that all of a sudden?”
“Hey, I thought I was doing something nice. Why the interrogation tone?”
“…You don’t need to do that next time. I throw out any trash every morning.”
“Yeah, you seem to keep it tidy, so I just wanted to check.”
“….”
Seo Soo-yeon felt something was off, but decided to let it go. It wouldn’t be wise to stir up trouble with Seo Soo-ae, who was practically Cheon Jong-hoon’s right-hand woman, especially during such a crucial time for TwoBear.
Suppressing her suspicion, she tried to move on, but Seo Soo-ae held her back.
“Is everything okay at the company?”
“…What do you mean, is it okay?”
“I just wanted to know if you’re having a hard time. If you need to vent, I can be a good listener. It’s kind of my job as a secretary.”
Seo Soo-yeon sighed softly and replied, “Nothing like that is happening. Even if it were, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“….”
“You know what position we’re in, right? If we start having personal conversations here, it could negatively affect Lady Aram. And that goes for you, who serves Young Master Jong-hoon as well.”
“It could have a bad influence on Lady Aram. And the same goes for the lady who serves Young Master Jong-hoon.”
“….”
“Let’s just do what we have to do. For them.”
Seo Soo-yeon, who had entered after closing the door, stared blankly at the empty space left behind by Seo Soo-ae and muttered softly.
“…Yeah, I think the same. We need to do our jobs.”
*
“Girl Revolution makes a successful debut with ‘traitor’ at 54th on ‘Music Challenge’…”
(Seoul = This Idol) Reporter Choi Jung-woo
No one expected it, but the dark horse Girl Revolution successfully charted with their new song ‘traitor’, debuting in the music broadcast charts. In a time when boy groups have firmly established their fanbases, this unprecedented success for a girl group is remarkable.
On the afternoon of the 13th, Girl Revolution ranked 54th with ‘traitor’ on CBS CTV’s music ranking program ‘Music Challenge’, marking the start of a successful debut. Given the pace of their chart entry, they might aim for the top spot soon.
When the rankings were announced, the group’s sub-vocalist and the winner of the survival show Girl 100, Han Gyeoul, expressed her gratitude and commitment to fans through SNS, saying, “Thank you so much, truly. We will show even better sides of ourselves moving forward.”
That day, Girl Revolution showcased their debut stage with the title track ‘traitor’ from their package album ‘Revolution’. They captivated viewers with their unique charm, elegance, and passionate energy.
Their bold mix of street fashion, uniform styles like hair removal and accessories, and their glamorous makeup showcased the girl group’s extraordinary visuals and appeal.
‘traitor’ is a pop track combining a rhythmic piano pattern with unique synths, produced by the legendary James Oh, known for creating numerous hits in Korean music history, featuring lyrics from a global label hit and rap by Oh Yoori, highlighting the diverse vocals of the members. The minor scale melody smoothly traversing the pizzicato, along with a rich bass trap beat and lyrics depicting a dangerous love akin to rebellion, enhanced the song’s elegant and addictive atmosphere.
Not resting on this promising start, Girl Revolution plans to actively continue their broadcasting activities. Thus, the fearsome sprint of these four girls is expected to accelerate unabated.
It remains to be seen whether they can break the wall of music broadcast number one for girl groups, which has been silent for nearly a year.
With trembling hands, Seok Hyun-woo asked me while reading the article.
“…Team Leader Seon, isn’t this a huge hit?”
“It’s not just huge.”
“Excuse me? Then, what is it?”
I rolled my eyes and declared to the questioning Seok Hyun-woo.
“It’s super huge.”
The sharp rise of Girl Revolution to number one was unmistakable.
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