Chapter 4
Chapter 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Starting from Scratch
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I started a deep clean.
Is bleach supposed to be sticky? Or is this just old?
I threw out the food waste and wiped down the fridge and every corner of the kitchen with diluted bleach. Even after airing the place out, the faint smell of bleach lingered. I knew it could be dangerous, but it felt liberating.
Early in the morning, I went to the supermarket to pick up some daily necessities.
“Are you perhaps an idol?”
The cashier's subtle question threw me for a moment.
“…I'm in the debut group.”
“Oh my, congratulations! I knew you had an aura about you! So, which company…?”
The cashier, who seemed to be a fan in her thirties, chattered on, but my mind was elsewhere.
Do I still have lingering feelings about being an idol?
I chuckled and handed her my card.
-Total: 54,300 won
-Balance: 723,253 won
“!”
The moment I saw my balance, a chill ran down my spine.
The fact that I only had 720,000 won felt like a bigger crisis than my three-year time limit.
It was a good thing my housing was taken care of; if I were renting, I'd be homeless by next month.
I could multiply my money tens or even hundreds of times in a few years through investments like stocks, but that's only possible if you have seed money to begin with.
Unsure of what butterfly effects my regression might cause, I couldn't risk gambling with things like loans.
Back home, I filled the fridge and stood before the mirror. My glossy, reddish hair and a face that radiated coolness even without any makeup.
I started brainstorming ways to make money while looking at my reflection.
The original songs in my head are future hits. The full tracks would be too much, so maybe I could sell sample packs (sound sources)? A lot of composers buy them to analyze trends and get inspiration.
I opened my laptop.
“Ah…”
A sigh escaped my lips.
My current laptop couldn't even handle basic MIDI sequencing, let alone advanced mixing. It didn't have a decent audio interface and couldn't even run Cubase.
“Aargh!”
I tore at my hair and threw myself onto the bed.
*Thump.*
Without money, I couldn't even use the abilities I had. This was proving to be more difficult than I'd thought.
Should I sell Mom's ring?
I seriously considered it, but there was no guarantee the sample pack would sell well. Who knew if anyone would bother listening to the work of a nameless rookie?
Besides, no one would hire me as a producer without a portfolio.
With no connections, I had to approach this as if I were walking on thin ice.
A single wrong choice could ruin everything.
I needed to prioritize a steady, albeit small, income. And it had to be a job that could serve as a stepping stone toward my goal.
“…A manager.”
It's a well-known fact, even outside the industry, that managers are poorly paid.
In a few years, the atmosphere would shift to at least acknowledge early mornings and late nights, but right now, it was likely to be "passion pay."
Even so, being a manager was the only way I could make money while proving my abilities. Once I got into an agency, I was confident I could showcase my producing skills somehow.
Let's look while I eat.
*Sizzle.*
Thinly sliced beef belly sizzled on the stainless steel pan. It was less than half the price of brisket but had a similar taste.
I added green onions to the cooked beef to make a savory oil, then boiled a soybean paste stew. The rich aroma of the stew filled the house, bringing back memories of my family.
I took a spoonful of the broth.
A savory, umami flavor filled my mouth.
“It's the same.”
A smile spread across my face at the taste, just like my mom's cooking. I figured there was no need to be sad over a nostalgic meal. Though I wouldn't have time to cook it often.
I browsed a few agency websites while I ate. And I set a few conditions.
‘First condition: the presence of a ‘gem in the rough’.’
There had to be a group with talent that just couldn't make it big.
One might think that gathering a bunch of complete rookies and producing them is the shortcut to success, but I think differently.
From experience, I knew that idols who had debuted but failed to take off possessed a desperation far greater than those who were still trainees.
There were a few places hiring road managers, but they were all riddled with scandals. I passed on all of them. There's always a reason why people don't stick around.
Then, I came across JD Enter's website.
It was the company run by CEO Park Jae-yong, a former singer, who had invested heavily in contestants from an audition program only to nearly go bankrupt.
It fit the basic criteria: it had a talented but unsuccessful girl group—a ‘gem in the rough’.
And.
‘Second condition: it had to be a company that could stand against Gyeon Sang-jin.’
JD Enter's CEO Park Jae-yong was a long-time rival of Gyeon Sang-jin from SJ Enter, the target of my revenge.
If I joined this company and made a name for myself, I could deliver a much greater shock to Gyeon Sang-jin, who was likely already confident he'd beaten Park Jae-yong.
But the job board on JD Enter's site only had a lonely announcement: ‘Recruiting new K-Pop star hopefuls.’ Unfortunately, there were no manager positions open.
I felt that if I could just get into JD Enter, I could figure something out. I believed CEO Park Jae-yong was someone who would recognize my talent.
Whether as a manager or a composer, I first needed to be able to talk to him and build a connection.
I clicked on the announcement.
-Application Guidelines
1) Song choice is open, but must include one dance track and one ballad.
2) The first round of auditions will be conducted via recorded digital files. Audio or video files are both acceptable. (Note: Use of Auto-Tune is prohibited. Discovery will result in a significant point deduction.)
3) When submitting your files, please include your reason for auditioning at JD Enter and a brief self-introduction.
4) The second round of auditions will take place at the company's audition hall and will consist of one mission song and one free-choice song.
5) Results will be announced in three to seven days. All applicants will be notified of the outcome via text message, regardless of whether they passed.
I grit my teeth and went to a sound equipment website.
I needed a decent condenser microphone and a compatible audio card (audio interface) for recording.
For simple recording, a ten-thousand-won microphone and the built-in sound chip would have sufficed, but I needed to stand out.
To ensure a minimum level of quality, I bought a 300,000-won condenser mic and a 200,000-won audio card. I also had to buy a lightweight recording program compatible with my computer's specs.
With this setup, I might not be able to sequence MIDI, but recording should be possible.
* * *
The condenser mic and audio card arrived.
I filmed a live video of myself singing and dancing on my phone. I got a satisfactory result in a single take.
The problem was the recording.
The program would lag and overheat during recording. Every time it did, the recorded files wouldn't connect properly, and the sync would be all over the place.
Only after cooling the laptop with an ice pack was I finally able to complete a properly synced recording.
“I almost had to sell the ring.”
[You have completed an achievement.]
⁞
Every time I managed to achieve something through effort, distributable stat points would accumulate. I decided to save them up for now without using them on anything.
I bundled the completed files and sent them to the person in charge. Of course, I also included a heartfelt message praising JD Enter and CEO Park Jae-yong. I had to do anything I could to raise my chances, even by 0.1%.
Who knows? They might hire me as a composer right away.
My remaining balance of 120,000 won was a huge pressure.
Now, making a living was a pressing issue. I had to earn at least enough for living expenses until the results came out. Was there anything I could do? Something with a flexible schedule where I could use my talents. The first thing that came to mind was…
Busking?
I didn't have a console to adjust the sound or even speakers, but it was worth a try. I was confident in my vocals, at least.
I tuned my cheap guitar and started practicing for busking. Without even a music stand, I had to completely memorize the chords and lyrics.
* * *
I headed to the very edge of the designated busking area in Hongdae.
The foot traffic was lighter here, but without even a basic speaker, I needed to get away from the noise of the other buskers.
“…It's filthy.”
The area around the brick flowerbed was covered in all sorts of filth. It wasn't something that could be cleaned up just by picking up the trash.
Is anything in life easy? I sighed and went into a convenience store to buy two silver mats.
I draped one over the flowerbed where I would sit, and placed the other at my feet to make the area around me look clean.
Not bad.
It didn't just look clean; it would also be eye-catching from a distance. The streets began to fill with people, and other buskers were busy setting up.
I hung a sign I'd written on my guitar case.
-I'm a 9-year idol trainee who dreams of becoming a producer. I hope that everyone who listens to my song will have a future full of happiness.
Then, I started playing the guitar.
♪♬
*Strum, strum, strum.*
A sweet and warm song, perfect for captivating a public weary of high notes and hook songs.
My nemesis, Gyeon Sang-jin.
The song interpretation skills I learned from him began to shine.
♪♬
The spring breeze brushes against your cheek~ The scent from your cheek brushes past my nose- Our sweetness brushes against those flower petals-
♪♬
I closed my eyes, but a ‘third eye’ between my brows illuminated my surroundings.
The auras of people, glowing in various colors, gathered around me. The harmony of my guitar and voice became shining notes on a musical staff, enveloping the crowd.
One by one, people began to stop in their tracks.