Chapter 265: Metamorphosis (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 265: Metamorphosis (1)
“A fairy tale concept?”
“Yes. Looking at the atmosphere of the songs, I think it would be good to set the overall album concept as a fairy tale and give the music video a very fantastical vibe. I’ve written the details in the file.”
Even though the pre-release track Winter Night and the title track What I Want to Say belong to different genres, they share a similar sensibility: the idea of a narrator telling a story to a listener during a winter night.
While Winter Night is a song about reminiscing over shared memories, What I Want to Say contains the message Spark wants to deliver to their listeners.
I saw 'fairy tales' as the keyword that could encapsulate both memories and stories.
Thus, for the title track’s music video, I requested that each member be matched with a fairy tale that suited them. I also asked for the Winter Night music video to use the same keyword but with a different atmosphere. Though, I never dreamed they’d come up with a fairy elf concept for that one.
“Is this the key point?”
The Planning Team Leader opened the file and pointed to a section highlighted in neon yellow.
“That’s right.”
I nodded. The section I had written in bullet points glowed yellow.
▷ Adopt stories with warm endings.
▷ Create an image cold and glamorous enough to compensate for the reduced group choreography.
▷ Concept photos with a quality level similar to fantasy films.
▷ Indirectly expose the album design within the music video.
▷ Aim for the feeling of a year-end gift.
Since these were vocal-focused songs, there wasn't as much flashy choreography compared to their previous releases. However, the era of simply listening to music had long passed, so I decided to maximize the visual splendor to provide aesthetic pleasure.
Now that we had the advertising buff and the 'camera massage' function, I figured it was the perfect time to turn Spark into something otherworldly.
I just didn't expect that I would end up as the Snow Queen in the process.
They say two suns cannot rise under one sky, so how could I push aside the head of the organization and sit on the throne? A person shouldn't defy the natural order like this.
Ignoring my mournful expression, the Planning Team Leader continued the explanation nonchalantly.
“We set I-wol as the 'Snow Queen,' a divine being, to emphasize that otherworldly feel.”
I desperately wanted to ask for 101 reasons why I had to be the non-human one. But I couldn't say a word after hearing what came next.
“We judged that it would be difficult to bring life back to your face in such a short time... so we took the opposite approach and matched you with a being that shouldn't have any vitality. Let’s recover well before the music video shoot so you can have some color in your face for the stage performances.”
“Yes, thank you.”
This was all my original sin. Swallowing my grief, I stared at the illustration of the snowy-white, magnificent Snow Queen on the screen.
Choi Je-ho was given the role of Jacob Marley from A Christmas Carol. The character has a backstory of living and dying as a miser, but it seemed the role was assigned more because of the 'Christmas fairy tale' theme and the visual of being bound in chains.
“If it’s A Christmas Carol, isn't Ebenezer Scrooge the most iconic character?”
“It’s a bit much for an idol to play a stingy, miserly old man in a music video...”
Jeong Seong-bin trailed off at Kang Gi-yeon’s remark. Jacob Marley might not have been a tall, handsome man either, but he was surely better than Scrooge.
Judging by my complexion, I would have suited a ghost role better, but the fact that they didn't go that route showed UA’s consideration.
Jeong Seong-bin was assigned The Happy Prince, which fit his personality perfectly. Everyone around him agreed it was a great match.
“Then is Seong-bin hyung going to be covered in gold? With blonde hair? Since he’s a prince, will he be decked out in jewels?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon asked excitedly. Jeong Seong-bin’s face turned bright red.
“We need to match the overall color palette of the music video, and since the point of The Happy Prince is his kind heart in giving away what he has, we’re going to tone Seong-bin down with ash grey. We’ll scatter jewels in the background of the music video and photocards so it doesn't look plain, but his hair and outfit will look calm and cool.”
Jeong Seong-bin let out a sigh of relief at the Team Leader’s explanation. Honestly, even I would hesitate if I were told to wear gold boots over gold pants.
The gold went to Park Ju-woo’s hair instead. It was a golden hue that exquisitely blended the yellow house of the mysterious poet Emily Dickinson from the picture book Emily with the brown tones of the fairy tale version. Dressed in a luxurious velvet shirt, he looked every bit the young nobleman.
Meanwhile, there was one member who wasn't particularly fond of his new hair. It was Lee Cheong-hyeon, who had been matched with The Blue Bird.
“Wouldn't blonde be better for me? What if people say the color clashes with my skin tone?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was about to have his hair dyed Serenity blue, lamented as he toyed with his bangs.
“While everyone else is debating between Black Cheong-hyeon and Gold Cheong-hyeon, you’re worried that Serenity Cheong-hyeon is throwing cold water on the debate? Hyung, what do you think about this?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
“Cheong-hyeon.”
“Yeah, hurry up and answer.”
“There are so many colors in the world, why would you only give the fans two choices? Are you even an idol? Erase that battle from your head until you’ve shown them Rose Quartz Cheong-hyeon and Dirty Blonde Cheong-hyeon.”
“Oh.”
Realizing that 'Serenity Cheong-hyeon might not clash, but even if it did, it was worth showing' was the right mindset, Lee Cheong-hyeon pressed a hand to his forehead.
Finally, Kang Gi-yeon took on the soldier doll from The Nutcracker. They called it a soldier, but the reference was practically a knight straight out of a manga, which seemed to suit him quite well.
“Do I have to fight a CGI rat...?”
Having tasted the power of CGI in the Winter Night music video, Kang Gi-yeon asked with a pale face. It was only after the planning team staff waved their hands in denial that color returned to his face.
And then, the day of the title track music video shoot arrived.
“Hyung, you really don't look human.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I, Kim I-wol, had transcended humanity and been reborn as something resembling a frozen statue.
“Seong-bin, can you open your eyes?”
At the stylist’s request, Jeong Seong-bin opened his eyes. In the mirror, he saw his face with stage makeup that was cold yet intense, matching his grey hair.
They said the makeup would mostly wash out under the bright lights, but he still wasn't used to seeing himself with such heavy styling.
“You didn't put silver lipstick on Seong-bin, did you? He hasn't turned into a bronze cyborg, has he?!”
“I didn't! I didn't, so I-wol, stop talking!”
He could hear Kim I-wol shouting from a distance. Ever since Jeong Seong-bin decided to dye his hair ash grey and heard that the motif was a prince who only had bronze left, Kim I-wol had been acting like that.
Kang Gi-yeon shook his head as he watched Kim I-wol finally fall silent when it was time for his own lip makeup.
“Isn't that hyung really something?”
Kang Gi-yeon, speaking those words, looked like a knight on a white horse. Fitting for a toy soldier received as a Christmas gift, his styling was brighter and more vibrant than the other members.
The gold ornaments integrated into his outfit paired well with his light pink hair. Perhaps because they had emphasized his T-zone more than usual to give him a soldier-like feel, his sharp features stood out even more.
“Is this the first or second time I-wol hyung has been like that?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon shook his head, his blue hair swaying slightly against the nape of his neck. His hair, which he had grown out since the Winter Night shoot and trimmed into a leaf cut, added to his noble aura.
An outdoor filming location on the outskirts of Seoul, a set specially prepared nearby, various types of heavy equipment, and the glamorously dressed members.
Back when he was a trainee, Jeong Seong-bin never imagined he would enjoy this much even if he did debut. Especially since he had heard stories from seniors and friends debuting at small agencies from the closest vantage point.
Strictly speaking, not that much money had been spent on music videos up until The Third Letter.
Therefore, this was a result Kim I-wol had literally fought for. By appealing to the company, even at the cost of grinding himself down.
From the concept and colors to the imagery, there wasn't a single thing here that Kim I-wol hadn't confirmed. The only thing he hadn't touched... was probably just the line distribution.
Jeong Seong-bin picked up the music video storyboard. It showed a cut to be used for the night filming.
The members dancing in a group choreography in the middle of an illumination display in the pitch-black night.
The lights spread out across the floor, looking like giant fireworks or a Ferris wheel, shimmered in Jeong Seong-bin’s eyes.
‘Hyung, is this by any chance...’
When he first saw this scene in the storyboard, Jeong Seong-bin had called out to Kim I-wol.
Kim I-wol had looked at the paper in Seong-bin’s hand and said, as if wondering what the big deal was:
‘Ah, that scene. Yeah, I put it in because of Flowering and With List.’
As if he had read Seong-bin’s mind, Kim I-wol answered before the question was even asked.
‘Fireworks were the main theme in Flowering, and a Ferris wheel appeared in With List, so I asked if we could show a mix of the two. At the end of the year, there’s a certain joy in looking back at what happened during the year, right?’
How much effort had Kim I-wol poured in to naturally melt the album’s concept and narrative together? And all for the simple reason that ‘fans might find it fun if they discover it while watching the music video.’
‘It’s a gift-concept album, so it can’t have nothing inside when you open it. And it happens to fit the lyrics of What I Want to Say.’
Kim I-wol had looked quite happy when he said that.
Until then, Jeong Seong-bin thought he had to completely separate Kim I-wol from work. Because, regardless of his ability, he felt Kim I-wol needed rest.
But there was a peculiarity in the way Kim I-wol approached work.
There were areas where Kim I-wol felt stressed, wondering ‘Why do I have to do this?’, while there were other areas where he willingly invested even more time. Most of the former had been handed over to UA, but Kim I-wol still held onto the latter.
If this area gave Kim I-wol interest, and if he felt a sense of achievement in what he planned...
If that helped restore Kim I-wol’s low self-esteem...
‘Like Ju-woo said, hyung does seem to come alive when he’s working.’
It would be impossible to separate Kim I-wol from his work. Given his personality, he would be anxious if he didn't know the progress of the work. And especially because his standards were so high.
In that case, wouldn't showing the results Kim I-wol envisioned in their most perfect form be the best thing for him?
Jeong Seong-bin tightened his grip.
Before, he had respected Kim I-wol, and at times felt a responsibility to protect him as a fellow member.
‘Showing exactly what hyung pictured in his head might be closer to what he truly wants.’
Jeong Seong-bin’s current feelings were a bit simpler than that.
Like Lee Cheong-hyeon, who worked in sync with Kim I-wol while writing and revising new songs every day, or Kang Gi-yeon, who was always in a position to teach Kim I-wol something.
He felt greedy; he wanted to do well.
When it came to work, he wanted to do his part and perform his role perfectly.
Not just as a hyung he had to treat with formal respect, but as someone who packed him lunch boxes and came out to meet him...
“We’re starting the group shot for Version A! Everyone, please come out!”
...As a colleague of the family-like Kim I-wol.
He felt a desire to implement the blueprint Kim I-wol had designed with all his heart in the best possible way.
Heading in front of the camera, Jeong Seong-bin looked back on the year.
The cycle of self-deprecation that felt like it would never end had been broken; he was now proudly singing the song of a person he once had a bad relationship with; and the series of moments where he heard people say the company had chosen their leader well.
He thought that perhaps this song could be a gift to him as well. Kim I-wol might not have thought this far, but that was why it was proof that this concept was clear. Even the singer performing it had been convinced.
‘Since your vocals are in the top 4%, anything is fine.’
‘Seong-bin is probably eating right now too, so even if I can’t be with him, let’s at least eat a meal together.’
‘Good job.’
Silly but unforgettable words floated up like bubbles. Then, the moment he faced Kim I-wol, they shattered and vanished.
Kim I-wol was smiling faintly.
“Leader, hurry up and come over!”
At Kim I-wol’s call, Jeong Seong-bin practically ran toward him.
And after the music video—featuring beautiful men and dazzling lights for four full minutes—was released, Spark would grow from the boy group people described as “Ah, those guys? I’ve heard of them,” to “Ah, those guys? I know them.”