Chapter 99
Chapter 99
To be honest, I had expected the preparations for the second album to go somewhat smoothly.
This was because the company staff, having tasted hell while preparing the debut album, were determined to start the next one as early as possible.
"We’ve mostly filled the pool of candidate tracks. We plan to select and organize them based on the album concept. The rest will either be saved for the next album or dropped."
"Got it."
The only problem was that the General Manager couldn't let go of his obsession with the "self-produced" label.
"Since we have plenty of time this time, please discuss the title track thoroughly and let us know when you're ready."
"Thank you."
"Understood!"
It was because he had once again boldly handed over the title track production to us.
...Was the debut album's success the root of the problem?
He clearly believed his ideas worked well in the entertainment industry.
Still, it was a relief that we had plenty of time. The deadline was set for over two months away, and the songs were already mostly finished.
Thanks to that, the members' complexions looked quite good.
"Let's pick another great song this time."
"I'm already looking forward to Raebin's arrangement."
"Thank you."
Even when asked to pick three candidates out of twenty title track contenders before a concept was even decided, the atmosphere remained hopeful.
...However, a few days later, I found myself thinking that sticking to self-production would have been better.
"...A collaboration?"
"Yes, that!"
I’d had a bad feeling ever since the General Manager suddenly called us, but I didn't expect a bombshell like this.
"May I ask... what kind of collaboration you're referring to?"
"Here, take a look."
The General Manager handed over a document with an expression oozing confidence.
The large text caught my eye first.
[New Business Proposal]
[Mobile Game]
[T1 Plays Co., Ltd.]
"......?"
"It's a game being developed by a venture company T1 recently acquired as a subsidiary, and I have a feeling it's really going to take off. The timing is perfect. I can already see the synergy if they collab with our TeSTAR. Eh? Since it's a game, it'll be easy to set a concept. How great is that?"
After pouring out his pitch, the General Manager added a final word with a satisfied face.
"This is an internal document, but I'm showing it to you because I trust our TeSTAR. Just look at it here, and don't breathe a word."
Fuck, I didn't care about that.
A mobile game...?
I wished someone would tell me this was a dream.
Beside me, Ryu Cheong-woo asked in the calmest voice possible. Since he wasn't someone with much connection to mobile games, he seemed slightly less horrified.
"...May I ask what kind of collaboration you have in mind?"
"Think about it. We make our comeback right when the game is released. If we go with a picture where we promote each other, the interest will double, won't it?"
I wondered where these shitty ideas even came from. Was his pituitary gland secreting saliva instead of hormones?
What on earth does he expect from a mobile game...
Or did he receive some kind of solicitation from that side?
No, if it were just a commercial modeling gig, that would be one thing, but almost no one would welcome being so deeply intertwined with an idol album release.
Because the idol's image gets swallowed by it.
If it's launching in two months, it must be nearly finished. And they're going to cram in promotional content for a random idol group? It's a recipe for a flop.
If the other side pushed for this too, it means they're just trying to cash out by bleeding TeSTAR fans dry before folding...
I could clearly see the future where TeSTAR's brand image would be shattered.
We're going to get tagged with the 'mass-produced trash game' meme.
No, in the first place, how are we supposed to put game promotion content into an album?
And a mobile game at that.
I didn't know if this General Manager was a sucker or if he was the one pushing it. Either way, it was shit. It felt like the bastard had dabbled in some Lanage and thought he knew the market.
"I've set up a meeting with them for Friday afternoon, so be mentally prepared."
"...General Manager, has everything already been finalized?"
"I've already cleared it with the higher-ups and sorted everything out. Our TeSTAR just needs to work hard."
"...Understood."
That was the final nail in the coffin. It meant that even if we threw a fit and refused, we'd just end up in an emotional battle with the company and be forced to do it anyway.
Fuck, seriously...
Should I have planned the next album in advance and brought it to him for confirmation? This is driving me crazy.
"..."
On the way out after finishing the meeting with the General Manager, I checked to see if anyone else had grasped the gravity of the situation.
Except for the two Lee Se-jins, everyone's clueless.
I expected Keun Se-jin to catch on, but Lee Se-jin was a surprise.
Does he have a gaming hobby or something?
Anyway, the other four were in a "this is a bit baffling, but we should work hard" mood.
They probably expected a level of hardship similar to the debut album. ...I'll just leave them be for now.
They'll realize it once we go to the meeting on Friday anyway.
At that moment, Keun Se-jin nudged my side with his elbow.
"...Hey, what do you think?"
"We're screwed."
"Haha."
Keun Se-jin let out a slow laugh, but eventually, a look of annoyance flickered across his face.
"This one is really... a bit much, isn't it? It's not something that can be solved with effort."
"...Exactly."
"This is too much, really..."
Keun Se-jin started to say something more, but realizing his voice had gotten a bit loud, he just shut his mouth.
A wise choice.
Instead, I checked Lee Se-jin's reaction. Lee Se-jin was walking while staring at the floor, his face pale.
"..."
Is he like that because of this situation? He looks more miserable than he did during Idol Inc.
Sure enough, Cha Yu-jin, who was right next to him, patted Lee Se-jin on the back.
"Hyung! Are you hurting?"
"...! No, ...I'm fine."
His speech seemed normal enough.
Should I dig into it?
I pondered for a moment but soon gave up. He's not a kid; he'll handle himself.
Right now... the priority was coming up with a solution for this disastrous situation.
...If we just put in one bonus track and use it as the game's theme song...
The General Manager wouldn't go for that. Dammit.
I racked my brain all the way back to the dorm, but (naturally) I couldn't find a particular solution.
However, at that moment, the game collaboration disaster was snowballing into another unexpected accident.
TeSTAR wasn't the only one being ground down by this.
The initial spark of this incident began when T1 Stars Ent. was finally registered on "JobUniverse," allowing for corporate reviews to be written.
A few staff members who had quit after burning out while preparing the debut album had left scathing reviews.
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[Pros: The signed artists work hard. The food is delicious.]
[Cons: A structure lacking any system. Stupid tyranny from higher-ups with zero entertainment industry experience. Work-life balance vanished due to unreasonable schedules.]
[Overall: Changing jobs is the only way out. I hope the singers change jobs too.]
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The most recent review was at this level. One star.
Since reviews from employees of famous agencies garner quite a bit of interest, screenshots of this began circulating in various communities.
Because TeSTAR's debut activities had been successful, everyone had a lot to say.
And this screenshot eventually made its way to an anonymous app for office workers.
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[Entertainment companies must be really tough]
I was interested so I looked into switching jobs, but it's scary. Well, it'll be hard anyway since I'm not in a related field, but T_T how are the reviews from people actually working there? (Screenshot) @Entertainment
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The venting continued in a typical fashion. However, just before the post disappeared from the first page, a party involved suddenly appeared.
The short and bold answer implied a lot.
People flocked to ask questions, and eventually, the employee, their anger escalating, left behind several comments.
The comments were deleted shortly after making it to the "Hot" posts, but screenshots remained and circulated.
Naturally, fans who had been excitedly waiting for the next album felt like they had been doused with cold water.
Fans, sensing a sudden chill, rushed to re-watch the second episode of the reality show.
And they began to get a strange feeling from Episode 2 and its behind-the-scenes videos, which had previously looked like a heartwarming production diary full of passion.
The fuming fans soon felt a chill down their spines out of worry for the future.
Terrified fans sent inquiries to the company via phone and email. They asked, "There are rumors on the internet that the concept for TeSTAR's upcoming second album has already been decided. Is this true?"
At first, they received consistent, macro-like responses, but soon, due to the sheer volume of inquiries, the content and format became slightly more polite.
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[This is T1 Stars Entertainment.
First, we apologize for the fact that we cannot arbitrarily answer your inquiry as it is a matter of internal confidentiality.
However, the company is preparing many things for TeSTAR's new album and is also respecting the artists' opinions...]
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Of course, it was by no means reassuring. If the album concept were undecided or if TeSTAR were directly in charge, they would have received a definitive answer on that part already.
Fans eventually began to take slightly more extreme measures.
And this choice led to an incredible result.