The Festival Isn't Over Yet
The live tour was titled Group Sound 1st Live Tour "MMO".
"What does MMO even stand for?"
"Mada matsuri wa owattenai yo. 'The festival isn't over yet.' Shortened to MMO."
"What festival?"
"The concept is... well, like an extension of Summer Sonic..."
While Seoha was excitedly drawing up the stage concepts, this upcoming live tour for Group Sound was massive—so massive that it made their previous Group Sound Nationwide Live Tour in Korea look like a mere backyard picnic. Truly, without a single shred of exaggeration.
During their Korean tour, the largest venue they played had a capacity of about a thousand seats. Most of their shows were held in spaces with three to five hundred seats, and in the worst cases, they played in tiny venues with fewer than a hundred seats, or simply anywhere they could set up their gear. Looked at in a positive light, it was an intimate experience that brought them closer to their fans. Looked at negatively, it was barely any different from busking on the street.
But what about the tentatively named "MMO" tour? Starting with their very first stop in Tokyo, the venues were a three-thousand-seat hall and a two-thousand-capacity standing venue. After that, a string of two-thousand-seat halls followed. Wherever there was a large standing venue like a Zepp, they made sure to squeeze it into the tour schedule.
That wasn't all. Back in Korea, tickets sold reasonably well in the larger cities, but in smaller towns and rural areas, people had so little interest in the shows that tickets barely moved. Yet, to build a fanbase and secure the symbolic title of a "true nationwide tour," they had swallowed the losses and practically performed for free in those places. But now? Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Matsuyama, Hiroshima, Nara, Nagoya, Shizuoka, Chiba, Sendai, Hokkaido. These were the twelve cities where Group Sound was scheduled to perform. While they weren't hitting every single prefecture, just touring the major cities representing each region yielded a schedule of over twenty shows. And every single ticket was sold out.
Because Japan used a lottery system for ticket sales, there was no need to stress over botting or scalping like before. Cancellation rates were also incredibly low, meaning they wouldn't suffer the tragedy of a "sold-out" show having glaring empty patches in the crowd. The differences went beyond these external logistics; the internal production values were on a completely different level. For instance, during their Korean tour, they had to spend an absurd amount of time on sound checks. There were venues where they had to be grateful just to have sound coming out of the speakers at all. Muddy or cracking audio was a daily occurrence, and at many venues, they seriously contemplated tearing down the existing house system and building one from scratch.
In Japan, however, the moment the members of Group Sound arrived at a venue and ran a basic sound check, they often found themselves thinking, Do we even need to tweak this? Of course, by Japanese standards, that was still considered lacking, so professional sound engineers would swoop in to fine-tune the acoustics with meticulous, delicate precision. If they tried to list all the differences, they could go on forever—from the marketing strategies to the average spend per ticket (though, surprisingly, the ticket prices were actually higher in Korea).
"Seriously..."
"Seriously what?"
"They always call Japan a cultural powerhouse. I know Korea is doing pretty well lately, but..."
"Yeah."
"But seeing stuff like this makes you realize why they call Japan a cultural powerhouse. It's a feeling that hits you right on the skin."
While preparing for the tour, Suyun ignored Iseor's look—which practically asked why she was bringing up such random thoughts out of nowhere—and pondered. The sheer scale of the industry was on another level. Of course, factors like population and economic infrastructure played a part. But even setting those aside, the scale of the live performance industry in Japan was in a completely different dimension compared to Korea. It made perfect sense why some artists could make a very comfortable living while remaining strictly in the indie scene.
At the end of that train of thought, a single question popped into Suyun's mind.
So, how much are we actually going to make from this tour...?
The total revenue from their Korean tour had been around six hundred million won. That was already a massive sum. After all the calculations, a single tour and album release had allowed her to take home over fifty million won before taxes. But now, with the scale of the tour multiplied several times over, what would her earnings look like?
Maybe I can even buy a Pre-CBS Strat...
Completely forgetting that she had ordered a custom guitar just a short while ago, Suyun indulged in her fantasies. Honestly, even if she had remembered, she probably would have thought the exact same thing. For a guitarist, you could never have too many guitars...
One week before the live tour. Tokyo Dome City Hall.
"Please set this up over on this side. And this one doesn't go here..."
"Understood."
"I want a breeze to blow only on a specific section of the stage. Is that possible? For example, to make a flag flutter. But in a way that doesn't affect the acoustics."
"I think that might be difficult. Wind will inevitably affect the sound, no matter what."
"That's a shame. Then, as for the sound..."
While Seoha was busy discussing the stage and sound setup with the venue staff and the sound engineers from the tour production partner, Suyun stood at the very top of the venue—the fourth-floor seats—looking down at the stage below.
The stage was clearly visible. Much more so than at Jangchung Gymnasium or the KSPO DOME. Part of it was because the venue itself was smaller, but it also felt like the space was utilized with incredible efficiency.
Three thousand people.
In one week, their live tour would kick off right here. All three thousand seats were completely sold out. It hadn't even taken long for the tickets to sell; they had been entirely swept up during the very first round of the lottery.
Turning around, she walked down to the third floor. It was a similar view, though the stage felt significantly closer. What about the second floor? From here, it felt like she could actually make eye contact with the artists. And the first floor... gave off a feeling of looking up at the performers.
"Do you remember back then?"
"Remember what?"
While Suyun was slowly taking in the venue, Iseor quietly slipped up beside her and spoke.
"Our very first gig."
"Our first gig... What was it again?"
"You know, back then. That anime song gig..."
"Ah, that one."
Suyun recalled the memory. Was the capacity 250 seats? Or 300? Either way, it hadn't been very large.
"Hasn't it been almost five years since then?"
"Yeah. Time really flies. Five years already... Wait, wasn't that in 2024?"
"Who knows. I don't even remember."
For the other girls, especially Iseor, it might have been a deeply memorable performance. But for Suyun, it hadn't left much of an impression. The setlist had consisted of anime covers—someone else's songs. And calling it their "first gig" felt a bit off when they had already played at school festivals. Besides, back then, the memories of her past life had still been far too vivid.
"Then I guess you don't remember what happened back then either."
"What do you mean, 'what happened'?"
"I said back then that I wished we could have ten times as many people in the audience..."
"Yeah."
"And you, Yeonsu, told me that would require a venue like Olympic Hall, and that bands in Korea capable of drawing that kind of crowd are extremely rare. You told me it was better not to get my hopes up."
"I said that?"
She had absolutely no recollection of it. While Suyun muttered in disbelief, Iseor continued.
"But a few years later, that Olympic Hall you said was impossible... Olympic Hall is three thousand seats, right? This place is three thousand seats too. Back then, my ultimate goal was Olympic Hall, but now, the very starting point of our tour is a three-thousand-seat venue."
"Hmm."
The look on Iseor's face as she said this was one of pure, overwhelming emotion. Suyun briefly contemplated teasing her to ruin the mood, but decided against it. There was no need to spoil a perfectly good moment. It definitely wasn't because she was afraid of the fist that would inevitably fly her way as retribution. Absolutely not. Anyway, it was what it was.
"It just means we've grown a lot."
"I guess so."
"So, to celebrate that growth, how about buying me a cup of coffee?"
"Hey... I could understand the older girls asking, but isn't it a bit much for you, Yeonsu, to ask me to buy you coffee?"
Iseor grumbled but went around asking the others nearby what they wanted. Blend, blend, latte, and so on.
As they walked out of the venue toward a nearby cafe, Suyun's gaze suddenly drifted into the distance. Not too far, but not exactly close either, stood a building that anyone making music in Japan would instantly recognize.
"Hey, earlier."
"Yeah?"
"You were talking about Olympic Hall. About goals and stuff..."
"I didn't call it a goal, but sure."
"Make a different wish this time."
"It wasn't even a wish... but anyway, what kind of wish?"
Following Suyun's pointing finger, Iseor looked at the building, her expression instantly filling with a complex mix of emotions.
"Wait, is that place even possible?"
"There's no reason we can't."
There was no such thing as an eternal upward trend. In the end, everything must come to an end. But conversely, that meant until the end arrived, they would keep climbing.
"Wishing to stand on that stage is fine and all. But instead, wish for us to do a tour centered around that place. Make that wish. Because it will come true."
At the tip of her pointing finger stood the Tokyo Dome.
Time marched on.
The last week of October, the day of the live tour. Tokyo Dome City Hall.
Finally...
From the absolute very beginning. Back when Group Sound had just launched their fan club under the name Group Sound Premium. Back when a Korean acquaintance had introduced her to them, saying there was a great band she should check out.
Having been a fan of Group Sound in Japan since those early days, she felt her eyes grow slightly warm as she arrived at Korakuen Station.
Finally, I get to see them.
She had waited and waited for so long. Ever since their days in Korea. Knowing that Group Sound would eventually come to Japan, she had held out. She had even resisted the urge to travel to Korea, all to save herself for their first tour, their very first concert here.
It wasn't as if she hadn't had opportunities to see them before. There were live house gigs, Summer Sonic, and even radio performances. She could have gone to any of them.
But she had held back. Because she wanted her first experience to be their "true first concert."
The first time is always the most memorable. It's not that the other gigs would be bad, but they couldn't possibly have prepared for them as thoroughly as a proper live tour...
There had been moments of weakness. For instance, their Summer Sonic 2027 performance, which everyone raved about. She had come incredibly close to clicking play on a bootleg recording uploaded by a foreigner that still hadn't been taken down.
But in the end, she had triumphed with superhuman patience, and now she was finally being rewarded. She had won a ticket to the opening show.
There are so many people...
Lost in her thoughts, she made her way to the Premium membership booth in front of the venue to collect the concert stamp that had been announced beforehand.
"Hello!"
"Hello. I'm here to get my stamp."
"Ah! Could you please prepare your app's QR code and a notebook or something to receive the stamp on?"
At the request of the staff member, who sounded Korean and spoke slightly awkward Japanese, she unlocked her smartphone and opened the Group Sound Premium app. While the staff member scanned the digital stamp onto her screen, she swung her backpack around to the front and pulled out her dedicated stamp notebook.
"Gasp!"
"Excuse me... Are you a third-year member?"
"Ah, yes..."
The staff members began whispering to each other, uttering the word "Daebak"—a term she had only ever heard in Korean dramas or idol variety shows. Since they were speaking Korean, she couldn't understand the exact words, but the nuance made it clear they were shocked to find a third-year fan club member in Japan.
"In that case, could you show us your Group Sound Premium account screen? We're giving out special gifts to anyone who has been a member since the second year!"
"Oh... Sure."
When she showed her app screen to the staff, they popped a tiny party popper (which was a bit embarrassing) and asked if they could take a photo of her, promising to blur her face. Once she agreed, one of the staff members snapped a photo and handed her a small, neatly wrapped package.
"This is a commemorative gift for our third-year members! It contains a random autograph from one of the members, so make sure to open it later!"
"Oh... Wow, thank you so much..."
After receiving her gift at the Premium booth (drawing envious looks from the surrounding crowd), she headed to the merchandise booth and bought the special venue-exclusive T-shirt commemorating the first concert (which was apparently designed by Seoha and looked incredibly pretty).
"Excuse me..."
"Yes?"
"We're handing out fan-made goods. If you'd like one..."
"Oh! Yes! Thank you, thank you so much...!"
While waiting in the entry line, she experienced a series of heartwarming moments, like receiving free fan-made merchandise from an anonymous fan.
"We will now begin admission!!"
Following the staff's guidance, she slowly made her way inside. Walking down a long corridor, she reached an escalator. She rode it down, made a turn, and went down another level, and then another. Only then did she finally arrive at her seating section—the Arena Stage.
The lowest level. The closest possible position, looking right up at the artists.
I'm so nervous.
At the end of the dimly lit corridor lay a vast space filled with rows of chairs. A curtain hung over the stage, and a soft darkness had settled over the venue. Only the glowing guide lights illuminated the paths, showing her where to go.
Would the first floor have had a better view?
But her seat was in the very first row of the Arena Stage. Since she was closer to Group Sound than anyone else, she quickly brushed the thought aside. If anything, it was the absolute best spot; there was no reason to complain.
"Good evening. We would like to share a few announcements regarding tonight's performance. First, as you all know, photography and recording are strictly prohibited..."
While she sat scrolling through her phone, the seats around her steadily filled up. She turned her head to look around the venue. There wasn't a single empty seat in sight; the hall was packed to the brim. Before long, even the last few remaining gaps were filled. She slipped her phone into her bag and clenched and unclenched her hands, trying to ease her nerves.
But the tension wouldn't fade. This was the first time she was seeing them live, three years after becoming a fan of Group Sound. The moment she had yearned for for so long...
Suddenly, the lights went out.
A wave of cheers and applause swept through the arena. Just as the roaring sound circling the venue began to settle into a hushed silence, the stage curtains drew back with a sharp swoosh.
The stage revealed itself, designed to look like a wasteland of ruins. Flags and placards hung between crumbling, dilapidated buildings. Standing atop the debris were the four members of the band.
"Whoaaaaaa!"
Without anyone prompting them, the entire crowd leaped to their feet and let out a deafening roar. Every single person, without exception.
And then, the beat of the drums signaling the start of the concert began to echo through the hall.
One, two, three, four.