Chapter 189
Chapter 189
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Black Pearl
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Black Pearl was a girl group that debuted around the same time as Ladies, Taein Entertainment's flagship act, and they boasted even greater fame than Ladies.
They were so huge they got called the female NGS, and even the miracle of the mid-tier idols.
Not only did they have killer vocals, but the five members also nailed dance, lyrics, and composition, each one a visual powerhouse packed with unique charm.
Among girl groups that debuted in the last decade, they were the only ones to crack the Melboard Hot 100's top 20 four times.
On paper, their career made them look like the undisputed top girl group in Korea, but maybe because of their girl-crush vibe, their domestic fandom was a bit thin compared to overseas.
From Black Pearl's perspective, rubbing shoulders with a group like Ladies—who only really had pull in Korea, maybe Japan or Southeast Asia at best—might've been insulting in itself.
Their domestic fanbase fell just a hair short compared to Ladies and the other top-tier girl groups.
But "just a hair short" still put them firmly in the top five girl groups in Korea, no question.
Now, as their seven-year contract neared its end, they were heading for a split with their agency.
The company was desperate to hold onto at least one of them, but with less than a month left and no progress, it looked like the girls had already mentally checked out.
The weird part? If they were leaving, you'd expect rumors of talks with other agencies, but nothing like that had surfaced.
Then new info dropped.
Turns out, they weren't breaking up—they wanted to stick together and sign with a new place to keep the group going.
It was unprecedented.
Usually, when seven-year contracts end without renewal, it's because members want to chase solo dreams or some bail over bad terms.
But Black Pearl? Not disbanding, just switching labels.
Industry folks were buzzing.
"BS Entertainment got some kinda problem?"
"Contract terms too shitty?"
"Black Pearl turned a mid-tier agency into a powerhouse—they're eyeing major league status now. No way they'd lowball the contract, right? They're not idiots."
"Yeah, BS's CEO isn't a moron."
"So what's the deal?"
Plenty of speculation, but no one knew the real reason.
Anyway, Black Pearl wanted a group transfer, not a breakup.
Sure, the Black Pearl name belonged to BS, who weren't letting go, so they'd have to rebrand.
But who cares about the shell?
The real prize was the talent.
Snag all five, launch under a new name—they'd still be Black Pearl, and way more profitable together than solo gigs.
Hell, it was a golden opportunity.
Agencies everywhere started circling with fat stacks of cash.
* * *
Jia, Harin, Miyu, Luna, Sora.
The five members of Black Pearl.
Leader Jia was 26, Harin and Miyu were 24-year-old twins in age, Luna 23, Sora 22.
Jia and Harin were Korean, Miyu and Sora Japanese, Luna Taiwanese.
You'd think shared age or nationality would form cliques, but nope—no favorites, no awkward vibes.
They'd all started as trainees around the same time as kids, logging nearly 12 years together, so they were tight as family, no secrets.
That didn't mean they were all the same personality-wise.
Even Korean duo Jia and Harin differed—Jia from Gyeongsang, Harin from Seoul, different upbringings led to different vibes and cultures.
Miyu and Sora, both Japanese? Miyu from Matsuyama, Sora from Nagoya—regional differences as stark as in Korea, totally distinct personalities.
No need to mention Luna, the lone Taiwanese—they all came from wildly different backgrounds.
They patched each other's flaws with long-shared understanding and compromise, amplified strengths, kept the peace.
Sure, that helped, but the real glue? Their musical tastes synced perfectly despite everything else.
Same vision for music, no reason to split.
And if someone wanted a solo side hustle? Drop an album, done.
Plus, they were attached to the Black Pearl name.
Barring anything crazy, they'd have re-signed with BS Entertainment and kept rolling.
But the company couldn't handle their big ambitions.
"No way, we wanna make the music we want, and they won't let us? Bullshit!"
Jia fumed, and the members nodded.
"Still can't believe it. Don't they trust us?"
"Nah, it's that the CEO's too obsessed with Crap PD."
"Crap PD's senses are dead as dirt, how's our CEO not see it?"
"Right?"
That was why they were bailing.
The company wouldn't let them chase their sound.
BS Entertainment worshipped their one-and-only producer—Dong Yujin—like a god (hence his title: chief producer, like Yeonwoo).
Made sense— he'd made Black Pearl a success.
They'd bowed to him too, back in the day.
He'd had killer ideas and instincts then.
Ancient history now.
Like they said, Dong Yujin's senses were toast.
Fat stacks from success dragged him into booze, women, maybe drugs—who knows.
How's a guy like that supposed to make good music?
Cue flops: last year's digital single, the mini-album before that.
No wonder folks said Black Pearl had peaked.
So they laid down one condition for renewal: cut ties with Dong Yujin, let us do our music.
Company said no. Breakup incoming.
"No matter how you slice it, feels like the CEO's being blackmailed!"
"Blackmailed?"
"Who knows? Crap PD might have dirt on him."
"Heh? For real?"
"Probably. Or gaslit."
"One or the other, for sure."
"Or maybe he thinks Crap PD can train newbies to rake in as much as us."
Nods all around, then a blank stare session.
Leader Jia broke the silence.
"So... where we going?"
"Taein?"
"They got a dozen Crap PD types there."
"DBN?"
"They can't even match our guarantee."
"Aris?"
"What's that guy group called? Bad rumors. Agency's full of thugs too."
"Everyone sucks. So where?!"
Deep in thought.
They were itching to jump ship and get back to work ASAP.
Last spring activities and event season gigs aside, they'd been idle for over half a year.
Switching meant rebranding, prep time—had to move fast.
"What about BSK? They reached out too."
"BSK?"
"Yeah, Daydream and Hadass alone show they care for idols, killing it lately, swimming in cash. CEO's the top dog too."
"Top dog?"
"Roughly means killer singer?"
"You're Japanese but speak Korean better than me."
"Anyway, not the point! What do we say?"
"BSK... seems solid?"
Hearts leaning BSK.
Then Jia's phone buzzed.
"Yeah? Where? Yeah?! Oh... yeah, hear the terms? Of course. Yeah, free anytime. That day? Got it."
Call ends, all eyes on Jia.
"Sis, what'd they say?"
"Who is it first, sis?"
"SSHIN..."
"Where?"
"SSHIN!!! With Yuin, Invincible, and Chae Hayeon!!"
"Oh... wait, what? Yuin?"
"Yuuuiiin?"
Right now, Yuin was the epicenter of the industry—the eye of the storm, ecosystem disruptor, apex predator.
Every track he'd composed? Still in Manggo Chart's top 100.
That's 30% chart dominance.
Insane numbers.
No one else had pulled it off.
Melboard Hot 100 #1 post-NGS? Check. Collabs with untouchables like Elkind Logan or Olivia Snow, NGS wouldn't dare.
Black Pearl were seniors, but no way to act superior.
"If it's Yuin... think he'll back the music we wanna make?"
"Heard he digs our stuff, wants us over."
"Yuin 'sir'?"
"Hey, better musician than me? Deserves it. Anyway, yeah—gotta meet."
"Meet? If terms are good, I'm signing on the spot. Who knows, he might drag us to Melboard #1."
"Makes sense."
Consensus: great terms, sign with SSHIN, done.
"Oh, but ask if Yuin can be there too."
"Got it."
Jia called back, asked for Yuin; SSHIN agreed happily.
Next evening, private restaurant—no paparazzi risk—they met Yuin.
Yuin, aka Yeonwoo, bowed to the waist at Black Pearl.
"Hi, I'm Yuin, SSHIN's chief producer. Real name Shin Yeonwoo."
The five thought in unison:
'C-Cute...!!!'
Pretty face dripping otherworldly cuteness.
Music genius, cute, gorgeous? Unfair!
One look, and they nearly signed sans terms, charmed.
Jia stayed coolest.
She straightened up, grilled Yeonwoo pre-appetizers.
"Biggest condition for joining SSHIN: let us make the music we chase. No dice, no deal."
"What is it?"
Yeonwoo and accompanying Jiyeong eyed her; Jia spilled.
"Even if you produce us, Yuin PD, we gotta do our sound."
Yeonwoo locked eyes.
Cute kid-face sharpened—eyes like blades.
Uncanny pressure, not kid stuff.
This the aura of the chart-eating genius?
Jia gulped unwittingly as Yuin asked:
"Not talking last year or the year-before albums, right? Those were a mess. If that's your sound, I can't work with it."
Bold as hell.
But...
"No way. That's why we split with the company."
"Knew it. Saw your pre-that era stuff—that's why I told my aunt to recruit you."
Jia nodded; the other four swooned inwardly:
"'Aunties'...!!!'
That word—how it melted hearts.
Black Pearl gazed at Yeonwoo with honey-dripping eyes, unwittingly.