Chapter 43
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Keyword Music Stage Planning (1)
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“This time’s keyword is…”
I swallowed dryly, and that’s when the PD finally opened his mouth.
“Rose.”
I let out a sigh of relief and closed my eyes.
“What do you think? Manageable?”
“Yes. I think we can pull it off.”
Not bad at all.
There are plenty of songs themed around roses. Several come to mind right away.
I still have no idea why they scouted us, but…
If we want to come back on Keyword Music again, we need to create a stage that generates buzz first and foremost.
‘Let’s give it our all.’
I was steeling my resolve when the PD spoke up.
“Oh, right. You guys have to plan the stage yourselves. No faking it with company help from behind the scenes.”
It caught me off guard, but I nodded and replied.
“Got it.”
I figured shows like this were mostly scripted from start to finish, but I guess there are exceptions.
I thought that was the end of it, but the PD kept going.
“For your information, we’ll be filming everything from the initial planning meeting to the whole process, all without a script. Just so you know.”
My jaw dropped before I could stop it.
‘Didn’t expect it to be this intense.’
As a longtime Keyword Music fan, I knew they showed glimpses of the pre-stage planning, but I’d assumed it was mostly after the concept was locked in, following a loose script.
‘So the meetings will be raw footage?’
That means we’re starting practically from a blank slate.
In broadcasting, they often do devil edits for entertainment value or turn trashy celebs into angels through clever cutting.
Pulling off a hit show without that MSG seasoning is no easy feat.
‘PD Shin Ho-jeong is the real deal.’
How long did we talk? The pre-meeting was winding down.
I stayed on edge till the end, hanging on every word from the PD.
“You guys. It was fun chatting today. You’re rookies, but that fighting spirit is off the charts.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled faintly, already pondering our next moves.
‘What songs can we do with ‘rose’?’
Two strategies.
Go with a crowd-pleaser everyone knows. Or pick something obscure for freshness.
The first risks “They couldn’t top the original.” The second, “Too unfamiliar.”
Strategy is key.
‘Rose, rose, rose…’
I was lost in thought, repeating the keyword in my head, when a bold concept flashed through my mind.
* * *
Inside DIEN’s practice room.
Cameras captured us as we sat in a circle with the members.
Just as the PD said in the pre-meeting, filming kicked off with nothing set in stone.
Cha Jae-hyun, in the center, spoke first.
“Alright. Shall we start the meeting?”
“Yes!”
From here on, every word counts.
Even with editing, anything could spark backlash post-broadcast. No room for carelessness.
Above all, we need to look good on camera. Even if opinions clash, show us resolving it smoothly to avoid rumors.
“Everyone knows the keyword is rose. Now we need to nail down the song and concept.”
Cha Jae-hyun scanned us slowly as he spoke.
“You know what they say: too many cooks spoil the broth?”
We all nodded.
“So instead of cramming everyone’s ideas into the stage, let’s vote on one member to lead the planning. Sound good?”
We nodded in agreement at Cha Jae-hyun’s question.
“Sounds good.”
“No issues here.”
I’d figured he’d handle it this way.
Leaders who are pacifists tend to include every opinion so no one feels left out.
But mixing them all often leads to half-baked results.
Better to have one person lock in the concept and run with it, like he said.
“We’ll go one by one: pitch your song and concept, then vote as a group.”
Truth be told, I wanted the shot. Opportunities to helm a stage with my own idea don’t come often.
‘Plus, I’ve had this concept brewing since the meeting.’
I took a slow breath.
Voting means convincing the members is crucial.
Cha Jae-hyun went first.
“I’ll start.”
Heads turned his way in unison.
“Roses make you think of red, right? The classic color.”
“Yeah.”
“That unique vibe red gives off.”
Question marks popped up on everyone’s faces.
Cha Jae-hyun cleared his throat a few times, then said,
“How about a sexy concept?”
Song Yu-bin, mid-sip of water beside him, nearly choked.
“S-sexy?”
“Our debut was school uniforms, and now sexy already?”
“Hear me out.”
Cha Jae-hyun pulled out his smartphone and played a track from his playlist.
A familiar instrumental flowed out.
“Senior Yoo Jung-hoon’s [Red Rose]?”
[Red Rose] dropped in the early 2000s—a poetic lyrics and seductive sound made it a hit back then.
It’s a staple random play dance pick on variety shows, so it has solid mainstream appeal.
“I’m thinking standing mics on stage. Use the front for vocals to show off our singing, then bring in backup dancers for an intense finish.”
Smart move.
With the tight timeline, filling every second with choreo would be tough.
Vocals, performance—two birds, one stone.
“Alright. Who’s next?”
As we all hesitated, Baek Si-woo shot his hand up.
“Me.”
“No clue what Si-woo hyung’s cooked up.”
“Looking forward to it.”
Baek Si-woo opened his phone and selected a track.
“Hold on.”
The song started: a dreamy, ethereal melody.
‘What song is this?’
It rang a bell…
Then Song Yu-bin blurted out urgently.
“Isn’t this a Blue X senior song?”
From Blue X’s third album: a ballad titled [The Last Petal to the Little Prince].
A tragic masterpiece overshadowed by the title track, but its musicality is proven.
“Picture a moon and rose set on stage. Wouldn’t that be pretty?”
Baek Si-woo rambled excitedly, but the members gave vague smiles.
Not a bad plan, but…
‘Feels too mellow and subdued for a competition show.’
Our debut was dreamy too—if we repeat it, fans expecting something fresh might get bored.
“Sounds good?”
“Gonna be beautiful.”
Still, positive reactions first.
A sour face while hearing a senior group’s song could stir up “disrespectful” talk.
“My turn.”
Next up: Song Yu-bin.
Wonder what he prepped.
“The song I picked is Senior Jo Ha-woon’s [Life is a Parade]!”
“Whoa, digging deep into the classics?”
An ‘80s hit, [Life is a Parade] won hearts with upbeat, hopeful lyrics and an easy catchy chorus.
By Korea’s top female diva of the time, Senior Jo Ha-woon.
“Gets you pumped.”
“Body’s moving already.”
Song Yu-bin read from his notes as we vibed.
“How about a musical festival vibe? Everyone in different outfits playing characters, then we all come together for the big reveal at the end.”
The original has a rose-petal toss, so it fits the keyword.
But…
‘The arrangement is the hurdle.’
The original’s so good, tweaking it might feel disrespectful.
Plus, that easy chorus hides tricky rhythm sections.
‘Keep the energy, add musical acting, nail vocals and performance.’
Solid idea, but not ideal for peak execution on short notice.
Song Yu-bin shyly closed his notebook.
“That’s my pitch. Who’s next?”
“Me.”
What’d Eun Hae-sol cook up?
No clue what’s in that head. If only we could crack it open like a robot.
I pictured his head popping open robot-style.
“Pfft.”
Laughter slipped out.
Eun Hae-sol frowned at me.
“What? Speak.”
“Ahem. My pitch.”
An unfamiliar song played from Eun Hae-sol’s phone.
The others looked as lost as I was.
“No one knows it?”
“Sounds good, but first time hearing. Who’s it by?”
Eun Hae-sol showed the screen. The album art screamed indie band.
“Evergreen Band’s [Rose Wet in the Rain].”
I closed my eyes and listened. Overall melancholic vibe.
‘Good song, though.’
It’s sung straight through like spoken word, so it carries the original artist’s unique emotion.
“Got ideas on staging this?”
All eyes on him, Eun Hae-sol paused before answering.
“Piano and vocals only—too bare?”
…Tough.
Filling a stage with just piano and vocals? Dicey.
Cha Jae-hyun, who’d been listening quietly, chimed in.
“Hmm. This could come off as refreshingly bold. Piano and vocals might feel sparse, so how about modern dance in the middle?”
“Nah, check the beat. Dancing to a slow track? Brutal.”
“We’ve got Yu-bin.”
The members tossed in forced hype to resuscitate the mood.
Eun Hae-sol caught the fake reactions and clammed up.
“Who’s left?”
All eyes turned to me.
Ended up last by accident.
“Ahem!”
I cleared my throat and spoke.
“The concept I have in mind is…”