Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Enthralled by the Script
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As Yeonwoo began focusing on the script, the fairies who had been frolicking around him gathered close, peering at it together.
They hovered beside him like they were watching something fun, but soon lost interest upon realizing it wasn’t sheet music—the one thing they could read—and wandered off.
But Yeonwoo was different.
Yeonwoo spread his wings of imagination as he read through the dialogue in the script.
The introverted protagonist Ye-eun’sきっかけ for falling into rock, the moment she loved it so much she decided to form her own band and requested a rock band club at school, the former Hongdae indie band member who was now the strictest teacher in the student affairs office showing interest and volunteering as advisor to help establish the club, then gradually recruiting members one by one, up until the first member joined.
That’s where episode 1 of the drama ended.
“Wow…….”
Was it because he wanted to form a band himself?
Yeonwoo ended up immersing himself completely in what was just a script.
“It’s fun.”
It was fun.
Wouldn’t it be even more fun if they turned it into a live-action drama?
Since it was a drama, someone would have to act it out, so who would play Ye-eun?
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, aside from singers, he didn’t know a single celebrity.
But Ye-eun was the vocalist—could a non-singer pull that off?
Wouldn’t they have to sing well?
Conversely, if a singer did it, could singers act well?
Yeonwoo knew from watching kindergarten plays that acting wasn’t something just anyone could do like singing.
Pondering this, Yeonwoo grabbed the script and headed outside.
In the studio, Grandmother was leisurely sitting on the sofa, reading a book.
Jiyeong had gone out for work today, so Heo Ok was minding the studio instead.
“Grandma!”
“What’s up?”
“Look at this. It’s a drama script, and the protagonist has to sing really well in it. But are there actors who can sing well? It can’t be just anyone for the lead.”
Heo Ok took the script Yeonwoo handed her and smiled as she listened.
“There are actors who sing well too, you know.”
“Really?”
Yeonwoo thought to himself that being good at both singing and acting was like cheating.
He didn’t seem to realize his own talents were cheating.
“And plenty of singers do acting on the side.”
“Wow, those people must be geniuses!”
Heo Ok just smiled silently at Yeonwoo’s words. There were many who acted without being particularly good at it, but explaining that to him would be too complicated.
Yeonwoo stroked his chin.
“I wonder who they’ll cast.”
“But where’d you get that script?”
“Oh, Aunt said the people making this drama asked me to compose the theme song. But I said no because I hadn’t seen the drama and couldn’t relate.”
“I see. So now you can relate?”
“I still don’t know the drama itself, but the story in this script—I get it, and it’s got me curious.”
Heo Ok stroked Yeonwoo’s head and said,
“Then just say you’ll do the OST.”
“I already turned it down. Someone else might be composing it now.”
“Who knows? Why not ask the company if it’s still okay to do it?”
“Should I?”
Yeonwoo brightened, then suddenly stiffened as a thought struck him.
“But what if they cast someone I don’t like as the lead?”
“Good point. That could happen, like you’re worried.”
“Can I choose?”
“This old lady isn’t sure, but usually the director or music director decides that stuff. Still, since you’re the composer, you could at least give your opinion.”
Yeonwoo fell deep into thought at her words.
Seeing him like that, Heo Ok spoke again.
“How about making it a condition that you only give the song if you approve of the casting?”
“Is that allowed?”
“You already turned it down, and you don’t want to hand your song to someone you absolutely hate, so set the condition. They might refuse, or if they desperately want your song, they’ll agree—or at least negotiate.”
Yeonwoo nodded at his grandmother’s words.
“I’ll tell Aunt to make sure they do it that way!”
Yeonwoo immediately pulled out his phone and texted Jiyeong about it.
* * *
“Isn’t this meddling too much?”
Park Sunguk stroked his chin as he recalled the condition Yuin had proposed.
Ordinarily, OST singers took the composer’s input into account—and sometimes followed it entirely, depending on the situation.
But this drama was different.
The song they’d pitched to Yuin was for the drama’s OST, and it would actually be sung by the protagonist in the show.
Thus, the track on the OST album itself would be performed by the lead actress.
In the end, it amounted to interfering with the lead casting.
“But I get where composer Yuin is coming from.”
That said, Yuin’s position wasn’t incomprehensible.
It’d feel awful if someone totally at odds with your vision sang your song against your wishes.
“Better to say okay for now. We can hash out the details later.”
It’d be tough to tell Yuin, who’d changed her mind, that it was too difficult.
Better to wait until all the pieces fell into place, then negotiate.
With that decided, Park Sunguk contacted Yoon Jina to say Yuin was on board and they could start drama production.
Meanwhile, writer Yoon Jina was stunned when she got the call.
She’d thought it was a no-go, so Yuin agreeing was unbelievable.
“Great!”
She let out a cheer.
Truth be told, she’d been talking to other companies about producing the drama, but they were either rejecting it after reading the script or letting it fizzle out.
Many passed because the main theme felt clichéd and out of step with current trends.
Even places willing to push forward with the old-school story—because the script itself was fun—wanted casting that clashed with her vision. And even those were hitting snags with music director selections or disagreements with the director themselves.
Desperate to make the drama her way, Yoon Jina had all but given up on production.
But what was this?
Park Sunguk had secured Yuin.
She’d secretly hoped for Yuin’s song from the start, so this was cause for celebration.
The only hitch was the production company being Avalon, but she’d heard Park Sunguk was blameless.
Even a close senior writer had said it was worth trying with him if Yeom Sehwan wasn’t meddling.
Fine, better to be treated like the boss and work with Park Sunguk.
He’d even nabbed Yuin.
And so, Avalon—Park Sunguk—teamed up with Yoon Jina to kick off drama production.
Casting was the top priority.
But it hit roadblocks from the get-go.
They sent out the script and pitched roles, but everyone passed.
With Avalon’s string of three flops, most figured it’d be four in a row.
Casting wasn’t impossible, though.
They secured heavy-hitting supporting roles, including the so-called “nation’s dad” and “nation’s mom.”
They had ears too, and trusted Park Sunguk since Yeom Sehwan wasn’t involved, just like Yoon Jina.
The problem was the female lead and the lead-level bandmates.
Female lead, drummer, guitarist, bassist.
All four actors—Yoon Jina and Park Sunguk’s top, second, and even third choices—turned them down.
“This is tougher than I thought.”
“Yeah…….”
Park Sunguk and Yoon Jina huddled together, deep in thought.
While the drama production struggled at the casting stage,
SSHIN finally unleashed Yoo Jaehyuk—no, Invincible—upon the world.
Roar
Lyrics & Composition: Yuin
Skies [20xx ver]
Lyrics & Composition: Park Kangjun / Yoo Jaehyuk
Arrangement: Yuin
Invincible [Yoo Jaehyuk Band]
1st Full Album: Invincible
Prod. by: Yuin
Invincible’s debut album dropped right after Yoo Jaehyuk had teased the comeback on SSHIN’s official YouTube channel, so fans who’d been waiting were primed—and it rocketed straight into the top 100 of Mango Player’s real-time chart upon release.
-Wow...... finally back ㅠ
-Can’t hear that old voice anymore, but he’s still got it
-Title track really roars, just like it says
-Good
-New version of Skies is good too
-Wtf is that voice, insane;
-Might be rough at first but it hooks you
-Something that stirs a man’s soul... a true roar
-Yoo Jaehyuk came back as a tiger ;;;;
-Fucking good fr
-Worth the long wait for our Jaehyuk oppa ㅠ Keep going forever
-Feels like yesterday I was following Jaehyuk oppa around, now I’m a middle school kid’s mom ㅠ But you’re still my oppa. Love you
In Korea, they say the rock era ended long ago.
Bands were just idol bands at best, and straight-up rock acts like Invincible were so far from the mainstream they barely charted on Mango.
But Yoo Jaehyuk and Invincible were different.
Fans who’d missed him streamed it, and thanks to YouTube—where he’d showcased his signature roar vocal style and taken over Ingye-dong—even young folks sought out the album.
And Yoo Jaehyuk decided to make a rare TV appearance.
On KBC, a music show where the MC and title kept changing, but which had held Friday late-night for years.
“Long time since a broadcast appearance—how’s it feel?”
Jiyeong, who’d booked it via JOP, asked Yoo Jaehyuk.
Yoo Jaehyuk answered.
“Well…… now that you mention it, my last broadcast was that same music show. Name’s changed, but.”
“Oh…….”
If you classified Yoo Jaehyuk’s vocals by era, the sole footage of his voice right when the vocal cord nodules hit and it started cracking badly was from that very music show—the predecessor to ‘Chae Hana’s Ambitious Night,’ where Invincible was set to appear.
For Yoo Jaehyuk, the emotions ran deep.
Returning through the show that marked his farewell.
“Intentional?”
“They say JOP planned it that way.”
“A Japanese company that knows Korean broadcasters well, huh?”
“Their president and staff are all Koreans who’ve been in this industry.”
“Hmm…….”
Yoo Jaehyuk nodded and sneakily checked his phone.
“What’ve you been checking nonstop?”
To Jiyeong’s question, Yoo Jaehyuk said it was nothing and pocketed it.
Truth was, he’d been glued to the Mango Player real-time chart.
Even though it updated hourly, he was refreshing every ten minutes.
He couldn’t help it.
Mango Player
Real-Time Chart
.
.
.
4th Roar – Invincible
.
.
16th Skies – Invincible
Seeing his band dominating the top of the real-time chart filled him with thrill every time.
It felt like the rankings were shouting: I’m back, and I’m still here.
But he wasn’t satisfied yet.
“Kim Beomsin’s sitting at number one too…….”
Picturing Kim Beomsin as the pot-bellied neighborhood uncle, Yoo Jaehyuk steeled his resolve.
He vowed to promote himself on the show and hold the top spot longer than Kim Beomsin.