Chapter 30: The Appearance of a Competitor (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 30: The Appearance of a Competitor (2)
“There are eight members, and their age range seems similar to ours.”
“It’s been a while since MYTH debuted a boy group, so I thought they’d be a bit older… but I guess not?”
Jeong Seong-bin and Lee Cheong-hyeon spoke in turn.
MYTH was a massive agency, incomparable to the size of UA.
Naturally, MYTH had a huge pool of trainees. Even if they only picked the youngest and most talented members, they would have had more than enough talent to choose from.
Perhaps because the agency’s reputation as a ‘prestigious idol powerhouse’ wasn't just for show, even the usually stoic Park Ju-woo looked quite serious.
Is this the power of a big agency’s brand recognition?
Then again, it was hard for most groups to get their names out there in real-time even before their debut.
Idol groups were a dime a dozen; dozens were formed and disbanded within a single year.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that over a hundred teams could debut in a single year.
The market was that oversaturated, and the unique characteristic of the K-pop scene was that a generational shift would inevitably occur at some point.
In a market where competition was already fierce, a group from a major agency—one that everyone expected to lead the next generation—was about to debut.
It would be weirder not to keep an eye on them.
Reading the article, I saw that the photos and stage names of the members set to debut were already public.
They were so well-prepared with profile photos and everything else that it wouldn't have been surprising if a fandom had already formed.
It’s not like there aren't agencies that promote trainees before their debut.
Furthermore, a company like MYTH, which had been in the idol business for a long time, had a distinct identity and set of values, which in itself became a marketing element.
Because of this, they had a thick fandom that followed the company itself, not just specific groups.
In other words, they started with a guaranteed audience—people who would support ‘any idol who carries on the MYTH legacy.’
Looking at the atmosphere, it seemed everyone had reached the same conclusion.
It wasn't a bad sign of sharpness; at least no one was saying naive things like, “I’m so jealous they’re debuting at a big agency!”
I scrolled down the article and spoke.
“Well, we’ve already lost in terms of numbers.”
“Huh?”
“They have eight members.”
The ‘there’s bound to be someone you like in here’ strategy was a win for the opposing side. Setting aside the risks that come with personnel management, that was their problem.
“How are we going to win?”
“Win…?”
“If we’re outnumbered, we have to find another way. Though, if we fight based on height, I think we’d win since we have Choi Je-ho on our team.”
I committed the contents of the article to memory and closed the browser window.
“I understand what you’re worried about, and I know it’s a very important issue realistically.”
“…”
“But let’s not lose heart before we’ve even tried competing.”
I’m usually the type to set realistic goals, but considering that half the members were suffering from low self-esteem, I changed my route to boosting morale through warm encouragement.
“You have to think about winning to feel motivated to do anything.”
“That’s true. Hyung, should we come up with some personal talents then? If we practice three each, I think we could do a personal talent medley!”
“I don’t think pushing through with sheer quantity is a good idea. If they practice three each over there, Parte will show up with twenty-four talents.”
“Oh, you’re right.”
“Why is the conversation going in that direction…?”
Choi Je-ho, who had been watching the back-and-forth between Lee Cheong-hyeon and me, wore a skeptical expression.
I was simply reviewing a member’s opinion from a very objective standpoint, so I couldn't understand why he looked so puzzled.
“In my opinion, the best way is to improve our skills. If we have the skills, we’ll have a fighting chance no matter what.”
I knew all too well how those skills had protected Spark for seven years, even when they were battered by controversies.
If a moment comes in the future where Spark needs to focus on something, they will likely have to choose skill until the very end.
And the next most important thing is the title of a ‘Controversy-Free Clean Zone.’
Well, there’s no point in talking about that now, so I’ll establish that discipline gradually.
“Any objections?”
Since this was a group activity, I figured I should hear their opinions, but there were no disagreements.
“Then, in order to beat them in average height as well as having the tallest member, everyone go to sleep. Wake up early tomorrow to improve your skills and…”
…As I was speaking, a chill ran down my spine.
Something felt ominous. I had a very bad feeling.
It was like the time Department Head Nam didn't tell me the meeting time had changed, so I went to the conference room at 4:00, only to find the meeting had already started at 3:30…
The monthly calendar!
I hurriedly pulled up the hologram scheduler, which I had forgotten about for a while after moving up the debut date.
In today’s slot, it said ‘Release Parte’s Debut Plan,’ and in tomorrow’s slot…
[(???) Debut Team Confirmation Press Release Distribution]
It was that exact ‘Press Release Distribution’ schedule from the past—the one that had been sent out two years before the actual debut, drawing all sorts of negative attention and leaving the hype completely drained when it was actually needed.
Good grief.
I should have assumed this issue would be moved up as well. I was careless.
Had my discipline slipped just because Department Head Nam wasn't around? If so, I needed to overhaul my mindset.
“Hyung! The manager says they’re releasing a press release about our scheduled debut tomorrow, too!”
“Tell him to stop immediately.”
“What?”
“Tell him I’d rather hold up a banner saying ‘Hooray for UA’s First Idols’ when we actually debut!”
After that, we wasted about an hour communicating with the manager via PC messenger.
Manager Chan-yeong
[Why? You’re going to get way more articles once you debut anyway ^^ If you’re already embarrassed by this, what are you going to do later? hahaha]
This was because the manager interpreted our stance that a press release was premature as the humble modesty of a ripening rice stalk.
Park Ju-woo supported me as I almost fainted from frustration. It was a scene you couldn't watch without tears.
I thought I had earned at least a Level 1 certification in ‘Knowing your place and keeping your mouth shut when you lack seniority,’ but it wasn't enough.
If I let this slide now, I was certain I’d be kicking myself right before the debut. I couldn't stay silent in a situation like this.
Me
[Manager, I am offering this opinion very cautiously, but if our debut schedule isn't finalized yet, I think a report might be premature. In Parte’s case, they are scheduled to debut next month, so…
View More]
[Manager, I thought you might need supporting data, so I’ve summarized and reported some promotional articles and debut schedules of groups that have debuted in the past year. I couldn't conduct a full census due to time constraints, but through a sample survey…
View More]
[20XX Group Debut Marketing Article Sample Survey.png]
Manager Chan-yeong
[I’ll talk to the company…!]
In the midst of that, since WebCell still wasn't installed, I had to work on a shared spreadsheet that could be accessed via the internet and send screenshots.
The working environment is too poor. I should have asked them to buy me a program account while I was at it.
“So you stayed up all night waiting for a reply?”
“Yeah. They said they decided not to distribute the press release.”
“You’re really something else.”
Something else?
If the company had insisted on distributing the materials, he would have seen what ‘something else’ really looked like. It was a shame.
If necessary, I was prepared to stand next to the person in charge’s desk for two hours, just like when I used to beg Department Head Nam for approval.
“Trading one night of sleep to save our impact isn't a bad deal.”
“You’re cold-blooded.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment on my strong survival instincts.”
Everything went as I wanted, so the result was perfect.
For the record, a hidden quest also popped up. This shitty system.
+
[SYSTEM] ‘Hidden Quest (Stop the Press Release)’ has been completed.
▷ Reward: Experience (5)
▷ Cumulative Experience: 65
▷ Cumulative Points: 0
+
It seemed that stopping the press release was indeed the right move.
Honestly, shouldn't it just tell me these things in good conscience? Even if I had two hearts, they both would have dropped.
Especially since this is a task directly related to achieving the KPI. Are you kidding me?
Besides, I’m the faint-hearted type and weak to these kinds of sudden incidents. It should show some consideration for a jaded office worker.
Following the example of the Management King Kang Gi-yeon, I mechanically chewed on a slice of plain bread without even a spoonful of jam as I spoke to Choi Je-ho.
“You and Ju-woo go to the practice room first.”
“Why?”
“There’s somewhere I need to stop by briefly.”
Today, I had to go to the Artist Management Team.
Since I didn't know what UA might do and when, it was time to make a preemptive strike.
With Assistant Manager Kim’s… no, Intern Kim I-wol’s first project.
Of course, considering my narrow perspective where Spark was the only idol group I knew, I had received prior confirmation from an expert.
‘A concept?’
‘Yeah. It’s something I’ve been organizing in my own way, and I thought it would suit Cheong-hyeon’s song.’
‘What kind of concept is it?’
‘I chose something that I think would suit you guys well.’
‘A real youth drama…?’
Jeong Seong-bin had a skeptical look on his face.
It was understandable. In the past, Spark had debuted with a traditional youth concept and almost vanished without a trace.
It seemed they had enough self-objectivity regarding their own visuals. None of them exactly had ‘youth’ written on their faces.
However, my primary goal was to deceive the eyes of UA, which insisted on traditional idols, and push my own concept.
To achieve that, it was best to slightly shift the direction from Spark’s original debut concept.
Fortunately, the feedback I received was that while my idea was a bit too classic, it could be okay depending on how the details were handled.
Based on the nature of the task, I should probably go to the Planning Team… but I should go to Ju-gyeong-nim first, right?
The only way for a trainee to communicate with the company was through the manager or Min Ju-gyeong.
I decided to go by the book first, fearing that skipping this step would make it look like I was ignoring the hierarchy.
I’d heard enough about ‘crossing the line’ from Department Head Nam five times a week.
The saving grace was that UA evaluated a trainee’s proactive attitude positively.
Thankfully, Min Ju-gyeong listened to my bold proposal without any sign of annoyance. She was a wonderful talent, the likes of which wouldn't be seen again in this era. I only hoped that UA was paying her a generous salary.
Min Ju-gyeong spoke as she flipped through the proposal I had printed out.
“You came up with a plan?”
“Yes. But I wasn't sure which person I should ask for advice.”
“Usually, it goes to the Production Headquarters. The Planning Team and the Record Production Team are all there. But well… I have a meeting with the CEO this week, so I’ll try giving it to him then!”
The speed at which the agenda was being moved up was no joke. UA really was a small-to-medium agency.
“How did you think of making something like this?”
“I just wanted to try doing something.”
“I’m not a planning person, so I don’t know for sure, but it looks like you’ve got all the basics down. You must have worked hard.”
If it didn't look the part after I had taken all the basic items from UA’s own concept proposal template, that would have been a problem in itself.
Still, I couldn't say, ‘I obtained some precious documents from somewhere,’ so I quickly said my goodbyes and prepared to leave.
“I’ll leave it in your hands.”
“Yeah. Good luck with practice.”
Fortunately, as a busy modern person, Min Ju-gyeong didn't hold me back any longer. Thanks to that, the planning report scheduled for the morning ended without a hitch.
After that, it was a continuation of the usual practice.
“Sorry to interrupt your practice, but I-wol, can you come out for a second?”
That is, until I was called out by Min Ju-gyeong as soon as the lunch break ended.