Forum Frenzy and the Muse Family Heist
IG Entertainment's VTuber signing news crept from the indie VTuber communities into the celebs' social media feeds.
And naturally, it reached IG Entertainment CEO Kang Sung-min's ears.
Nonhyeon-dong, IG Entertainment CEO's office.
Kang Sung-min was in a good mood.
It was a shame the report hadn't reached him before the rumors, but what could he do? The VTuber who was just about to sign had let it slip on stream.
I'll remind her later and include some leak training.
Convinced beyond doubt that Luna-ri was signing with IG, Kang Sung-min hummed as he picked up the phone.
"Yeah, tell A&R Manager Kim Hee-dong to come up."
Grinning ear to ear, he summoned Kim Hee-dong, who was slated to head the new VTuber venture team if all went according to plan.
Soon, Kim Hee-dong opened the door and entered, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Yeah, Kim Manager—no, Team Leader now? Rumors are already flying, so things must be looking good. When's that contract coming up?"
"…CEO."
Why that face? Doesn't look like a guy who just scored a win.
"What's up?"
"Um, well… that thing."
Kang Sung-min's brows furrowed.
"Kim Manager?"
"That contract…"
"Yeah."
"It fell through. …For now."
The temperature in the CEO's office plummeted.
"What?"
"Luna-ri's side isn't picking up."
"Why?"
Kim Hee-dong's lips twitched. He tried to brush it off but gave up under the CEO's blazing glare.
"At the meeting, we tried splitting the contract between Luna-ri and Young-il, and it rubbed them wrong… I was gonna propose again, but then contact just…"
"What bullshit is that?"
The quiet voice made Kim Hee-dong flinch.
"I told you to be nice and careful with Luna-ri. You could tell she was the key. Why'd you freelance?"
Kang Sung-min turned away from the bowed Kim Hee-dong.
The rumor that Luna-ri's joining an agency started on her own stream… If she didn't sign with us, does that mean somewhere else? Then what about Young-il?
As Kang Sung-min eyed Kim Hee-dong, weighing whether to kill or save him—
Knock knock.
"C-CEO, just need a quick sig—"
The door opened with the knock. Kim Hye-min, arms full of documents, bumped into the groveling Kim Hee-dong.
"Huh? Something going on?"
"Ha… This idiot botched the contract. Looks like we lost Luna-ri and Young-il both."
Kang Sung-min casually took the documents and started reviewing them.
"Eh? You already knew?"
"Haha, you beat me to it? Good intel network, Hye-min?"
He wasn't really listening. His head was too chaotic; reviewing papers was his escape from reality.
"More like, I brought them both to my label. Hehe."
Silence.
"…What?"
"…Huh?"
Kang Sung-min's head jerked around like a rusty hinge. Kim Hee-dong whipped his gaze sideways too.
Hye-min tilted her head, clueless why they were reacting like that.
"After the contest, I saw Luna-ri leaving the building—looked like the meeting tanked—so I went right up and asked if she'd work with me."
"Why would you…?"
"'Cause I liked her?"
Kang Sung-min's temple throbbed.
There was that saying: All roads lead to Rome. Fine, better this way.
"Whew… So anyway, Luna-ri and Young-il both end up at IG."
"At my label?"
"…Good, signing's done either way. Have the new biz team collab on management."
"Hm?"
As Kim Hye-min nodded again, Kang Sung-min eyed her uneasily.
"Gotta manage the artists."
"Not IG's—mine."
"Your label's under IG."
"Set it up independent, so that doesn't matter."
"So no management needed?"
Reading her utterly sincere, I'll handle it gaze, Kang Sung-min shut his mouth.
This crazy woman.
"Then why'd you snag 'em? What for?"
"Ah! Luna-ri vibes so well with Young-il? She needs a singer for his tracks~ Plus, Se-young likes her, I was curious, her mid-low harmonics are rich so I wanna swap her mic, and—"
"Okay okay stop. What about Young-il? How you using him?"
To him, Young-il mattered more than Luna-ri.
"Young-il! Talked to him. Total genius vibe. If I were a scientist or mathematician, he's pure artist. That freedom! Something missing from my commercial stuff, y'know, feels it?"
Kim Hye-min didn't stop.
"I wanna see him compose without limits. Me? Grew up in the company, creativity got neutered. Curious about those wings flapping?"
Kang Sung-min felt stifled.
So basically, let 'em do whatever? Then how the hell do we make money? Wait indefinitely for Young-il's next hit?
But he couldn't mouth off to this maniac. She'd just shrug so what? Anyway, her specs were the issue.
Of 12 albums she'd produced for IG artists, 10 hit top 10 charts. Co-produced all of flagship singer-songwriter Shin Se-young's albums from debut—super tight, billions in streaming revenue. 6 outside idol tracks in yearly top 100. Top producer polls 4 years running. She basically defined IG's sound, and young too. Losing her would tank half IG's music. That's why the label.
"Oh, and CEO."
Hye-min raised her hand again.
"Gotta develop Ki-dong too. Can't just bench my guy."
"…Who's that?"
"Park Ki-dong, my label's junior composer. Young-il agreed to give feedback! Mine's mechanical-commercial, but his sensory advice would elevate it!"
What do you want me to do about it? Why tell me now? thought Kang Sung-min, realizing she was still explaining why she signed Young-il to her label.
He concluded Kim Hye-min was nuts.
He turned to Kim Hee-dong, who'd minimized his presence.
"Whew… Got it. Hye-min, you're dismissed. Kim Manager, stay."
The CEO's formal tone made Kim Hee-dong tremble.
The "contract" wasn't anything grand. Aside from feeling a bit more adult, I was still parked at my computer in my room.
But I got a title now. Yoo Na-ri had called me the main producer or whatever—that was my position.
Fancy words piled on; freaked me out at first, but Kim Hye-min said a impressive name guarantees freedom.
Partnership on paper makes it easier? Didn't get it, but Na-ri was cool with it, so I slyly joined.
Bigger issue: 'Korean National University of Arts Composition Department.'
Student? Student? Student?
I pictured middle or high schooler, not a Korean National Arts grad.
For a GED dropout like me, that's intimidating. Hell, I'd even heard of the school.
Me, give feedback to this guy? Kim Hye-min brushed it off with 'What's the big deal?' but not for me.
She even said she'd claim it as hers, so relax. Hiding me's nice, but no fear I'll trash her rep?
"Sigh."
Still, gotta do it. She's handing me releases, said any track I want, she'll drop.
Gotta earn my keep. Ditched the bias that arts grads auto-slay.
If Hye-min pushes it, maybe he really needs help.
Soon, files from Kim Hye-min arrived.
Muse Family label's junior composer—indie track in progress.
Hit play.
"…"
Clean. Textbook chord progressions, tidy instrumentation. Stable rhythm, easy on the ears.
But after twice more… no melody sticks.
Nothing wrong? Well-made, but boring.
Fired up Cubase, loaded the project.
As she said, tinkered freely.
Solo'd piano track. Perfectly gridded beats.
Too precise. Humans don't hit that rigid.
Nudged a few notes off-grid. 0.02 sec? Barely noticeable.
Replayed. Same chords, but breathing room. Mechanical turned human-shaky.
Bass too tame. Added octave-down note, punched attack.
Drums: snare dynamics flat. Boosted 2nd/4th hits.
Groove hit; head bobbed.
Got lost in it. Tweaked someone else's track like mine.
Chorus: Dropped backing melody a third. Harmony bloomed, space expanded.
Full replay from start.
"Nice?"
Hard to believe same song. Skeleton intact, but flesh rearranged—new shape.
Text file of changes, attached revised demo.
Sent to Hye-min; she'll pass as hers to the junior.
First time touching another's track since Luna-ri.
Memories surfaced—not bad.
Easier than feared, but right? Who knows.
No backing out now; Hye-min's problem.
Ring ring ring-!
"Whoa, startled me. Thought it was Hye-min."
Sudden Discord ping; figured she saw the file.
"What's up?"
"Ah."
Our label head worked fast. Scheduled recording: tomorrow, three contest songs.
Releasing tracks. Still unreal.
"10 AM. Hye-min said start then."
"Yeah, I'll be there before 10."
Na-ri chanted excited, excited, giggling. Her tomorrow shining through.
Thinking about it, our path here was some mystical fate.
"Dunno. Delivery easier? Don't know how recording'll go, and lotsa offices—crowded."
Me too tomorrow. Song's even called Delivery Food.
"Me? Anything goes."
Why's she so hyped today? Recording hype? Or good news? Her voice pitched a whole key higher.
"Jump back into tracks?"
"Rest for me is tweaking tracks…"
Those three were Na-ri's honed versions—recording shouldn't be too tough. Probably wrap quick.
"Yeah, fighting."
"Yeah, bye."
Wrapped the call with Na-ri, shut down the PC.
Recording tomorrow—early bed.
10 AM… Up at 9:50, at the computer. Check remote software too.