BBG's Grand Entrance
April 5, 2017, Thursday. The Yeouido KBC Annex, slated for remodeling in the near future. Today was the day for pre-recording Music Bank—commonly called Mubeang—at the KBC Yeouido Annex.
A throng of fans and entertainment reporters had gathered since dawn, eager to catch sight of the singers stepping out before the massive Mubeang stage. High-end gear was everywhere: super-telephoto lenses like cannons, top-tier HD cameras.
Around 9 a.m., a sleek black luxury Starcraft van pulled quietly up to the entrance. Moments later, the door slid open, and tall, handsome young men in perfectly tailored suits stepped out one by one.
Suhyeon. Gyeongbin. Seongbin. Marvin. Kevin. Robin.
The six-member boy group BBG had arrived.
[BBG]. Short for British Voice Group. It sounded like a fried chicken joint at first glance, but it was actually the hottest boy group riding the peak of popularity.
Two years ago, YK—one of Korea's big three agencies—had launched them with great ambition. President Kim Seongman had personally scouted Marvin, Kevin, and Robin from the UK music scene, then added trainee Suhyeon, Gyeongbin, and Seongbin to form the idol boy group on the spot.
Their debut single British Voice Bang! was a massive hit, putting names and faces in front of fans. Follow-up singles Rollercoaster Boy and London Night with You charted huge successes one after another, exploding their fandom overnight.
Their latest release, Sudden Love Mode, dropped amid huge fan hype and earned rave reviews, now holding strong in the top ranks across music charts. Among domestic idol groups, BBG had carved out solid respect from fans and insiders alike.
As this top-tier group appeared before the fans, cheers and squeals erupted from the female fans everywhere.
Flashes popped from morning on, cameras clicking nonstop.
Click. Click.
BBG leader Suhyeon led the way at the front, smiling and waving to the fans, with the other five following behind, waving as they walked.
"BBG, you're all so handsome!!"
"BBG, I love you!!"
"Oppa Suhyeon, look over here~"
"Robin~ I love you!!"
"Suhyeon, that suit looks amazing on you~"
"Seongbin oppa is the handsomest~"
Leaving the roaring fans behind, BBG pushed open the door to the Mubeang studio entrance.
Fans saw BBG as one united team, but internally at YK, they managed them as two separate units.
One was the British team handling the music side: Marvin, Kevin, and Robin, who had been doing band activities back home.
Marvin: Formerly the guitarist and vocalist in a UK band; now BBG's main vocalist, still boasting that beautiful voice.
Kevin: The band's drummer and lyricist; now sub-vocalist. He penned the lyrics for their hit single Rollercoaster Boy.
Robin: Keyboardist and composer; now handles sub-vocals and some rap parts. He composed their hit London Night with You.
The other team was the Korean side, covering visuals, dance, and rap— all former trainees excelling in looks, moves, and rhymes.
Suhyeon: The best-looking of the six, killer dancer, and outward-facing leader. Vocals average, but he takes center and lead vocal duties.
Gyeongbin: Great looks, but the top rapper and dancer. BBG's main rapper; he writes most of the raps in their singles himself.
Seongbin: Stunning visuals, but the dance king who even choreographs. Sub-vocalist; he created the viral rollercoaster dance from Rollercoaster Boy.
YK never explained why, keeping it veiled in mystery, but word in the music industry was that BBG split settlements between the two teams—a not-so-secret secret.
Rumor had it President Kim Seongman promised it implicitly during the UK scouting. While fans and outsiders were clueless, insiders whispered of deepening rifts between the teams—talk of disbandment or splitting into two acts soon.
Music Bank sub-control room. The nerve center directing the show's recordings and live broadcasts.
The two-story control room featured soundproofed windows overlooking the entire studio at a glance.
Packed with recording gear, playback systems, and countless monitors, it overwhelmed casual visitors on tours.
Programs produced here fed to the main control room, then out to transmitters and networks, airing nationwide.
Sub-control room manager Kim Seong-tae spotted BBG entering the studio and muttered to himself from his chair.
"Sigh. Here come the headaches... Hope they behave today."
Newbie PD Choi Young-mi—fresh from KBC's public hire, starting in March and assigned to Music Bank—overheard as she passed by.
Startled, she couldn't bring herself to ask the manager directly and scanned the room.
She spotted engineer Kim Young-cheol—only four years her senior, so they'd bonded quick.
A diehard Suhyeon fan since BBG's debut, Choi couldn't hold back. She sidled up to Kim and whispered.
"Engineer Kim, is BBG a headache? First I've heard."
"Huh? You didn't know, PD Choi? It's infamous around here..."
"Really? I'm still green."
"Hm. The Brits and Koreans bicker nonstop when they split off. Sometimes over music differences, but mostly petty emotions."
"Petty emotions? They seem so tight-knit usually."
"Leader Suhyeon's usually the spark. Kid's got no manners. Total delinquent."
Choi, Suhyeon's hardcore fan, raised her voice without realizing, tone pitching up.
"What?? Suhyeon's a delinquent???"
Everyone in the control room turned to stare at her.