Because I'm Good
“A magazine interview? An interview with... Rock in Japan?”
“Have you heard of it by any chance?”
“Have I heard of it?!”
Suyun’s voice rose without her realizing. She barely managed to swallow the words, Is there anyone who hasn't? because that knowledge was based purely on her memories of her past life.
Back in the day, before the internet or computers existed, when foreign musicians rarely came to Korea for interviews, information was extremely scarce. There were only two main channels to get foreign music news: the US military stationed in Korea and Japan.
Rock in Japan was a magazine she had read religiously back then. It featured interviews with legends like Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, and countless other masters.
It was a precious magazine that shared the mindsets, gear setups, and techniques of global superstars and Japanese rock bands, along with reviews of various effect pedals, setup guides, and more.
To think a day like this would come in my lifetime.
When she was young, she used to wonder, Will the day ever come when I get interviewed in that magazine? And now, her actual interview was going to be published there?
Slightly trembling with emotion, Suyun spoke.
“I've heard of it. A lot.”
“A lot? That’s surprising! Since it's a Japanese magazine, I didn't think you'd know it well!”
“How could I not... No, I mean, I don't know it that well, but...”
Replying to Manager Jeong, Suyun recalled those days. Buying the magazine through people who had traveled to Japan, handing it to someone who knew a bit of Japanese to get a rough translation, and when even that translation turned out to be complete garbage, searching for Japanese dictionaries that weren't even widely sold.
Man, the world really has gotten better. Back then, just finding out about this stuff was a whole ordeal.
Nowadays, with the internet so advanced, a simple search would bring up tablatures and gear settings instantly. While it was good in many ways, Suyun also felt it was a shame that the beautiful culture of patiently learning and inheriting techniques from others was disappearing.
Of course, the only people who would agree with such a sentiment nowadays were elderly folks well-accustomed to dentures, and Ha Suyun—a mysterious young woman in her early twenties whose mental age was somehow identical to theirs. But the person in question was blissfully unaware of this.
“Anyway, it's an incredibly famous magazine. It practically represents Japanese rock. Having our interview published there is a massive opportunity...”
“Uh... I don't think it's quite to that extent...?”
Suyun spoke based on her past memories, but Manager Jeong's response was the exact opposite.
“What?”
“Yes! The golden age of those magazines... especially when Rock in Japan was at its peak, was a very long time ago!”
“...A very long time ago?”
“Yes! Quite a while back! I think it was almost several decades ago, wasn't it?”
“Several decades...”
Suyun's expression grew visibly gloomy. Manager Jeong wondered what exactly had made her so depressed, but continued speaking.
“These days, it's lost a lot of its former glory. They claim a circulation of a hundred thousand copies, but the actual sales are probably much lower. And the interview offer we received isn't for the physical print edition of Rock in Japan. It's for the web version.”
Suyun stared at her with a face that said, They have one of those?
Manager Jeong explained. As the Japanese magazine market began to shrink, most physical magazines shifted to online publishing. For example, even Jump created and operated an online version called Jump+ these days. The offer they received was from that side—the digital edition of Rock in Japan.
Hearing this, Suyun's face grew increasingly sullen.
Manager Jeong tried to comfort her. “The physical magazine is obviously the main branch, but the online version is projected to have far more readers.”
But Suyun's face showed no signs of brightening. Seeing this, Manager Jeong thought, Did Suyun-nim actually have high expectations for a magazine interview...?
To some extent, she was right.
“...Anyway, even if it's online, it's still an interview with Rock in Japan, right?”
“Yes! Honestly, these days, the internet version is practically the main body! Though I don't know how they see it over there.”
“Well, fine then. Let's do it.”
Unlike her initial excitement, Suyun's voice was now completely flat.
Yoo-yeong spoke with a hint of worry. “Alright, we'll go ahead with it then... They also sent over a rough list of questions. Would you like to take a look?”
“Sure... why not.”
The printed questionnaire contained standard, harmless questions.
How did you first get into music? or What helped you the most in getting to where you are today?
As Suyun stared at the questions she could answer in a split second, Manager Jeong spoke up.
“What do you think?”
“Well... they seem like pretty standard questions.”
“Right? But actually, I have a certain strategy in mind.”
“You must have something specific planned.”
At that, Manager Jeong nodded and slid a sheet of paper forward. Suyun picked up the document.
A Comparison Between Korea and Japan
...
In Korea, morality is of paramount importance.
Morality.
“I've actually wanted to try this kind of promotion in Korea too. It's highly effective. The reason we couldn't, though...”
“...Is it because of a lack of morality? I didn't think morality was necessary for something like this. It's not even a big deal, is it? Or are you saying I'm a person lacking in morality?”
Suyun twirled her hair slightly as she spoke. I don't think I've ever harmed anyone in my life. Saying we couldn't use this strategy because of a lack of morality is a bit...
“Uh... normally that would be true, but in your case, Suyun-nim... your past is, well...”
“Ah.”
“No!! I'm absolutely not trying to blame you!! I mean, it is something you did in the past... No, that's not what I meant! Anyway, that, well, the accident from before... No, I... I'm sorry... Anyway!”
Suyun's face stiffened once again. Yoo-yeong tried to salvage the conversation, but felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into an abyss.
She thought: I'm talking to the CEO's daughter like this. I'm going to get fired the moment we get back...
“Alright, let's hear today's proposals.”
At the Editor-in-Chief's words, the people seated around the table stood up one by one to present.
The first article is about this, the second is about that... The Editor-in-Chief listened, scribbling notes in his pad.
“Isn't that overlapping?”
“We just interviewed that group a while ago.”
“They don't seem to have the right caliber.”
“I feel like we did this before...”
Every time someone finished speaking, the others in the room chimed in. The nuances varied—some sounded businesslike, some worried, others laced with subtle thorns. People reacted differently to the same topic, while others didn't.
This was exactly why she hated these meetings. Truly.
“Yoshida! You're next.”
“Yes, sir.”
Her turn had finally come. Yoshida Yuka stood up and calmly looked down at her notebook.
She had two articles lined up for this issue. The first was about the Chiyoda Music Festival, and the next...
“I plan to cover Group Sound.”
“Group Sound?”
Though the voices differed, the band's name was uttered almost simultaneously around the room. The emotions behind it were mixed. Some asked who they were, some sneered, while others sounded welcoming.
And the voice she least wanted to hear was the very first to pipe up.
“They're those Korean kids, right?”
“Yes, senpai.”
“Haven't they not even released a proper song yet? You're going to interview kids like that?”
They already released a song, though. Even if it hasn't been long. She thought to herself but didn't say it aloud. Answering would only invite them to nitpick something else.
However, staying completely silent would also draw criticism, so she waited for the right moment before speaking.
“They've generated a lot of buzz recently, so I believed they would make an excellent interview subject.”
“Come on, even so. At least indie bands have released songs. These kids haven't even put out their own material. There are so many indie bands in Japan; have you never thought about covering them instead? Besides, they're just playing J-rock rip-offs while pretending to be a band in Korea anyway.”
“For now, focusing on what's trending...”
“Are you taking this too lightly just because it's an online article? Even if it's digital, does the name Rock in Japan look that cheap to you?”
It was the usual absurd nitpicking disguised as feedback from senior colleagues who disliked her.
The one who cut through it was a voice from another corner of the room.
“They already released a song. Just one, though.”
“...Senpai, one song is basically the same as having none...”
“Drop it.”
The tone sounded less like defending her and more like simply disliking the other person.
The cold voice of the Editor-in-Chief put an end to the brewing argument.
“I think it's fine, so go ahead with it.”
“Editor-in-Chief!”
“And looking at their photos, those girls are incredibly pretty. If the article turns out well, let's bring a photographer next time and run a special feature on them.”
“Editor-in-Chief, a special feature is a bit...”
Complaints erupted about how unprecedented it was, how they shouldn't entrust a special feature to a rookie who had barely just joined, and looks of doubt were cast her way, questioning if she was even capable.
Yuka stood silently, looking humble as she awaited the decision, but inside, she was seething.
You guys are all just web journalists anyway, we're basically the same...
One day, she would write an article that generated massive traffic and rub it right in their faces. Yuka didn't know when that day would come, but she was determined.
“Hello. Nice to meet you. I am Yoshida from Rock in Japan.”
“Hello, nice to meet you.”
“Great to meet you!”
“Hello.”
At the appointed time, Yuka arrived at a certain location in Setagaya Ward. When she entered the office and greeted them, the staff welcomed her warmly. Seeing that everyone except one person was Korean, Yuka realized they were indeed from Korea.
“Our band members are waiting inside the conference room.”
“Yes, thank you. May I go in?”
“Yes, please. We look forward to a great interview.”
After exchanging strictly polite business greetings, Yuka opened the door to the conference room and introduced herself.
Another wave of warm welcomes washed over her. As she raised her head to respond, Yuka froze.
Wow, seriously. It must have been so hard for the agency to scout girls like this...
One of the selling points of a girl band is the members' looks. The prettier they are, the more fans they attract who are captivated by their appearance rather than their music. Because of this, agencies often intentionally gather pretty girls to form girl bands...
That was the thought that flashed through Yuka's mind the moment she saw the four girls in front of her. It felt as if they had been selected purely for their beauty.
In particular, the leader, Ha Suyun, could easily rival the Korean idols seen on television.
To think girls like this actually gathered in high school just to play in a hobby band...
Marveling at their absurd talent, Yuka engaged in light small talk with the band.
“Are you a reporter?”
“Ah, yes. I'm a reporter for an online magazine.”
“A reporter... Does Japan not have the journalist exam?”
“What's a journalist exam?”
“...You don't know what the journalist exam is?”
“Why did you think I'd know that?”
“How is working life treating you? Is it bearable?”
“Ah, well... I'm getting by, just getting by.”
“Since you're a reporter, have you met famous bands? Like ZUTOMAYO, YOASOBI, or Yorushika...”
“Ah, I'm not quite at the level to interview them yet...”
“Hey, why are you calling them bands?”
“Aren't they bands?”
“Yorushika is... a band... I think...”
“More importantly, if you're talking about famous bands, why are those names coming up? Shouldn't you be mentioning bands like Southern All Stars, Spitz, or Mr. Children?”
“Who are they?”
A chaotic mix of Korean and Japanese echoed through the conference room.
Leaving behind Ha Suyun, who was staring at the bassist, Choi Iseor, with a look of utter horror, Yuka cut off the hectic conversation. If she let them be, they would probably keep gossiping amongst themselves like high school girls forever.
“F-first of all. Since I came here to do an interview today, shall we get started? Would that be alright?”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Fortunately, upon hearing her words, the four girls reined in their energy and shifted into professional mode. Yuka turned on her voice recorder, looked at her questionnaire, and slowly began asking the questions one by one.
Please give a brief introduction. What are your names? How did the band form?
“Well, first of all, this one... Som... I mean, Choi Iseor-yang, suggested we start a band, and that's how we formed...”
As the keyboardist, Jung Hyun-ah—who seemed to be the most fluent in Japanese—continued speaking, Yuka took notes and thought to herself.
This is a bit different from what I expected. It feels too... textbook. Will this get any views?
Since they were Korean, their attitude was bound to be different. She had hoped for something a bit more interesting, but everything they had said so far was incredibly textbook.
Well, Group Sound is trending right now anyway. That alone should pull in the views, Yuka thought, brushing her worries aside.
But she was forced to take those thoughts back starting with the very next question.
“Then, onto the next question. What do you think is the reason you were able to come this far... all the way to Japan?”
They'll probably talk about the members, the company that supported them, their parents, or maybe their friends. Yuka waited for the answer with that expectation.
But the response she received was completely different.
Entirely different.
An answer she hadn't even imagined.
“Hmm... Probably because I'm good.”
“Excuse me?”
“I think it was possible because I'm good at what I do.”
The answer that made Yuka's eyes snap wide open came from none other than the guitarist, Ha Suyun.
She said it with an air of absolute confidence, as if she had prepared the answer from the very beginning.
And at that response, Yuka thought:
This... this is going to blow up...!