Live Tour Documentary
He doubted his ears at first. Had he misheard? But judging from the expressions around him, that didn't seem to be the case. Everyone looked like they couldn't believe it. Only Hyein and Jeong the manager kept calm faces. Had they gotten a heads-up in advance?
"A documentary?"
"Yes. First, let me introduce these folks..."
As Kyung-min finished speaking, the young man who'd been standing there blankly stepped forward.
"Hello. I'm PD Jeon Jeong-sik. I'm currently with the Culture Division's documentary production team, and... this is a bit embarrassing, but it's my first time leading a full documentary production. Nice to meet you all. These are my staff: Park Minjae, cinematographer; Lee Junho, writer; Kim Haeun, writer..."
After introducing everyone one by one, Jeon Jeong-sik, who'd introduced himself earlier, spoke up again.
"We decided to produce a new documentary to kick off the season, but we didn't have a clear subject. That's when Team Leader Go Kyung-min reached out to us. We saw it as a great opportunity, and after some discussions, we've agreed to film with you all."
Jeon Jeong-sik bowed his head in thanks. Amid his refreshing attitude—unlike the stereotypical "broadcast station types"—Suyeon's favorability toward him ticked up slightly as applause rippled through the room.
"I mentioned the nationwide tour before, right? We've been planning this since then, but collaborating with another company is always uncertain, so I couldn't give you members the full details until it was locked in. Sorry about that. But I talked it over with the CEO and Jeong the manager... and they gave the okay."
Kyung-min wrapped up a few more details before stepping back. "From here on, PD Jeon will take over."
Settling into his spot, Jeon Jeong-sik fired up a PPT first.
'Why does everyone always explain with PPTs?'
"Let me start with the production intent. It'd be good for you all to understand it. So..."
The PPT slid forward, displaying a single image: a flood of K-pop documentaries.
Myriad K-Pop Documentaries
"K-pop documentaries—symbolized by idols—are everywhere. From serious ones to fun ones. But is the Korean music industry purely K-pop? Not at all. There's hip-hop, solo artists, bands. My tastes run that way too, so we wanted to capture the story of an indie band that grew on its own, not from a big agency."
The PPT advanced again, showing the chart performance of Sky Garden and Becoming a Star.
Sky Garden & Becoming a Star
Chart Performance
"Look at the charts these days: idol tracks, hip-hop, or songs from broadcast stars or already-famous folks. But you all broke through on word-of-mouth alone, hit festivals, did shows... To outsiders, it's mythic. So filming your story could be a hint at shaking up Korea's rigid music market. That's our angle for this documentary."
"Isn't that a bit grandiose?"
As the PD finished, Iseo leaned in close, whispering. Suyeon twisted away from the tickle assaulting her ear and murmured back.
"Planners always start big."
"Still, us 'breaking through' or whatever feels heavy..."
"They'll spin the narrative anyway. Broadcast folks do that."
"'Broadcast folks'? You talk like you've worked with them a ton."
As Suyeon fell silent at Iseo's jab, Jeon Jeong-sik continued.
"So we'll follow your live tour, filming everything: performances, daily life, backstage prep. Not just the band, but label staff too. Where does Group Sound's power—the prodigy of Korea's indie scene—come from? What can the Korean music market learn? That's what we'll capture."
Filming for the documentary would start with summer break, when the live tour kicked off. Time until the first shoot was short, so Jeong-sik resolved to make the most of it. With post-production editing and potential reshoots, the schedule to broadcast was tight.
His plan: Pre-record interviews to insert later.
"Recommend some contacts for interviews?"
They couldn't pre-interview the subjects themselves yet—too unpredictable. If someone flipped their story after filming, that footage would be useless. But side interviews were fair game: growth background, music origins, reputation. The spices that make docs pop.
To that end, Jeong-sik gave questionnaires to band members and staff, asking for recommended contacts.
'This one's unique.'
Most recommendations came eagerly, but one stood out. For the other members—Iseo, Hyeona, Seoha—it was family, friends, lesson teachers. Seoha suggested a few "Hongdae scene musicians I'd jammed with." Standard stuff.
But Suyeon's list? Not your average high schooler's circle.
'Taylor'd's Kim Cheol-yeon, a professor, Hongdae club owner, session musician, singer Kim Jiyeon. Big names...'
Jeong-sik scratched his head. It looked like a kid name-dropping for clout: "See who I know?"
'But they all agreed to interview.'
Did she bribe them? Whatever—big names boosted credibility. He went in skeptical.
"My connection to Ha Suyeon?"
"Yes. We sent the questionnaire, but I'm curious why you agreed..."
"We're in touch now, but it started with guitarist Seo Myeongjeon. She's his last disciple, after all."
"Seo Myeongjeon's last disciple?"
Interviews followed a pattern: Suyeon's guitar genius, killer compositions, prodigy tales. But Seo Myeongjeon always came up.
Most brushed it off with "Ah, I see," but Ho-in Arts University's Professor Chae Hogun got specific.
"Even without the Seo Myeongjeon angle, her story alone is fascinating. Feels like prime human drama."
"Human drama..."
"If you're interested... it's family stuff, so she might not spill. But worth asking. It's a great yarn."
Originally, the doc was just about Group Sound. But Suyeon's contacts spilled not just on her skills, but her life.
Intrigued, he dug into pre-Group Sound Suyeon: Invasion from Seoul 2024, Band Pioneer 2024 government project ties. Articles, forum buzz, lingering rumors post-clearance.
'Docs climax on human drama, after all.'
Dry facts flop without story. Humans crave narrative—even penguin docs dramatize risks, family bonds, nature's grandeur.
Suyeon's life? Perfect storytelling fuel. Delinquent girl meets old guitarist, learns briefly, reforms post-death, shakes music world. Movie material.
'Gotta edit toward this.'
He jotted notes.
Time flew; live tour day one. A small venue somewhere in Seoul.
"Sold out today, right?"
"Hall's tiny anyway."
"Team Leader Go grabbed too small a spot early on. Bigger would've been fine."
"Back then... maybe no full confidence..."
Overhearing the kids, he entered the hall. Stage roughly set, but sound check from scratch—new environment.
"Seoul concert's last; this is like a launch event. Cozy live show, preview vibe."
Recalling Kyung-min's note on premium-only tickets, he thought, 'No wonder fans premium up.'
Kyung-min and Jeong Yu-young were pros at squeezing fan wallets.
'But that's how we afford loss-leader shows and get crews like ours in.'
Setup done: Classic, not Music Letter acoustic, festival hard rock, or EBS Amplifier polish.
Red Persian carpet like old rock bands. Minimalist homage to early Paradox club gigs for handfuls of fans.
"Today's stage is cafe-like. Fans come for our music vibe. We'll be in the crowd too..."
Seoha explained to camera. Time ticked; showtime. As doc cameras rolled, fans filed in.