Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Episode 24: Meeting with the Rookie Girl Group (5)
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Kang Han-do headed straight to the recording studio and focused his ears on the songs.
The man in charge of producing played the tracks for him one by one.
"This is the first song. The title is 'Rhapsody.' Give it a listen."
It started off quite upbeat.
The vibe was bright and fresh. The moment Kang Han-do heard it, this thought crossed his mind.
'Not bad.'
He pondered if he'd heard this song in the future before his regression.
But he hadn't.
'It's a song I don't know.'
After listening to the full track, Kang Han-do nodded slightly.
The man asked him.
"Shall I play the next one?"
"Yes, please do."
"The second song is titled 'Shall We Fall in Love?'"
For a moment, Kang Han-do tilted his head.
'I've heard this title somewhere before?'
It felt familiar. Listening to the song might jog his memory.
The man started playing it.
Kang Han-do listened quietly, then let out an involuntary sigh.
"Ah...!"
"Why, oppa?"
"Do you like this song more?"
The members asked Kang Han-do again.
They wondered if he was reacting this way because he preferred the second song.
But Kang Han-do's response was the complete opposite of what they expected.
"This song won't do. Never make the second track the title song. Go with the first one."
* * *
The composer, the members, and CEO Na Un-chan hadn't expected Kang Han-do to voice his opinion so strongly.
To them, both songs sounded fine. Either one would have worked without issue.
But Kang Han-do was firm.
"Rhapsody, right? Go with that one. Otherwise, you might flop right from your debut stage."
"Is there a reason?"
At this point, CEO Na Un-chan's curiosity was piqued.
He figured there must be some basis for speaking so confidently.
And there was.
"Shall We Fall in Love?" wasn't a bad song on its own.
The problem was the timing.
In the future before his regression, VSLine had debuted with "Shall We Fall in Love?"
And shortly after their debut stage, an incident occurred.
A woman had imprisoned the man she had a crush on for a week, leading to his death.
The issue was that the lyrics of "Shall We Fall in Love?" somewhat overlapped with the details of the case.
The scandal exploded massively. Suddenly, VSLine's debut track faced scrutiny, got banned from broadcast, and their debut fell apart.
Kang Han-do hadn't recognized the group name VSLine immediately because they flopped on debut and disbanded right away.
A tragic girl group whose debut album stage became their last.
Their activity period was so short that it hadn't been easy for Kang Han-do to recall.
'Now that I've heard the song, it clicks.'
But he couldn't just blurt out future events to them.
There was no proof, and even if he claimed to have regressed from the past knowing this, they wouldn't believe him.
So, it was better to give a plausible excuse.
"The first song fits VSLine's image perfectly. Plus, these days, all girl groups go for sexy concepts, right? Coming out with something cute and bubbly stands out and differentiates you. That's why I picked the first one."
Maybe it was his experience in the industry. Kang Han-do's opinion sounded professional enough.
CEO Na Un-chan and the composing team exchanged glances.
In the midst of it, Kang Han-do asked the members what they thought.
"What about you girls?"
"We like either one. But hearing what Han-do oppa said, Rhapsody does sound better now."
"Me too."
"Rhapsody gets my vote!"
Thankfully, the members unanimously sided with Kang Han-do.
With that, CEO Na Un-chan had no choice but to go along.
"Alright. Rhapsody it is!"
"Woo!"
"Thanks, Han-do oppa!"
"You're welcome."
Kang Han-do thought to himself.
'They'll thank me even more later.'
Today, Kang Han-do had saved VSLine from disbandment crisis.
* * *
After wrapping up the first VS Together shoot.
Kang Han-do set off for his next schedule.
On the way, Nemide asked him.
"You insisted on the first song because of your memories from the future, right?"
"You caught on?"
"Yeah. Picking a title track is a huge deal, isn't it? Seeing you push so hard for the first one made me think, 'Ah, it must be because of something from the future.'"
Nemide was quick on the uptake.
"If I hadn't picked the first song, VSLine would've crashed and burned right after debut."
"That bad?"
"Yeah. You'll see. Their debut stage is in two weeks, right?"
"Yes. They're debuting on a program called Music Festa. VS Together will be filming there too."
"Oh?"
"Min PD said they'll film you meeting the VSLine members backstage, cheering them on. That kind of thing."
"Hmm, got it."
It would probably end up in episode 3 or 4.
"I'll need to stock up on some energy drinks then."
"Hoho, I'll buy them ahead of time."
"Oh, thanks."
Kang Han-do knew all too well how nerve-wracking a debut stage could be.
Since they'd be filming the same program anyway, he hoped VSLine would soar high.
* * *
Kang Han-do stopped by LC Entertainment's office for a bit.
As he entered the lobby, he witnessed a scene he'd never seen before.
The lobby was packed with young women.
Every single one was stunning—beautiful faces and figures.
'What the heck?'
Kang Han-do was momentarily flustered.
'Did I come to the wrong company?'
No, that wasn't it. The LC Entertainment name and logo were clearly displayed.
Below it were densely packed audition notices.
Meanwhile, the women reacted instantly to Kang Han-do's arrival.
"Look over there! It's Kang Han-do!"
"Oh my gosh, really?!"
"He looks even more handsome in person!"
"Hello, sunbae-nim!"
Voices flew at him from all directions, overwhelming him.
Kang Han-do gave an awkward smile and waved. The women squealed in delight again.
He quickly pieced together what was happening.
'Singer auditions.'
LC Entertainment often held open auditions like this.
As a major agency, the number of applicants was enormous.
As he passed by, Kang Han-do spotted a familiar face.
"Ye-hee-ssi!"
"Oh, Han-do-ssi?!"
It was Choi Ye-hee, someone he hadn't seen in ages.
She'd become even prettier in the meantime.
Along with vocal and dance training, Choi Ye-hee had been steadily taking makeup classes.
"How have you been?"
Kang Han-do asked about her wellbeing first. Choi Ye-hee gave a weary smile.
"I'm struggling a ton. Honestly, I feel like I underestimated what it takes to be a singer. It's not just about singing well."
"Yeah, I get that."
Modern idols had to be multifaceted.
Vocals, dance. Sometimes rap too.
On top of that, many showed talent in lyrics and composition. To compete, Choi Ye-hee needed to build those skills too.
'Ye-hee-ssi can pull it off.'
Kang Han-do knew exactly how much talent she had. He figured debuting wouldn't be hard for her.
He pointed to the audition participants.
"Are you auditioning too, Ye-hee-ssi?"
"No, I'm just observing. We had a member lined up to debut with me, but she dropped out midway. So they had to pick one more, and they decided on this surprise audition."
"Debating as a girl group?"
"Yes. They're aiming for five members."
Choi Ye-hee had debuted as a girl group in the future too.
Her group hadn't been hugely popular. Things only took off after she re-debuted solo.
He hoped her group activities would go well this time.
"Oh, right. I heard you're hosting a girl group reality show."
"It's a rookie group called VSLine. The girls are all so charming. They're debuting next week—if you're free, check it out, Ye-hee-ssi."
"I will. Must be nice. We don't even have a debut date yet."
That was inevitable.
They'd need time to gel with the new member, re-record, and more. It'd be hectic.
"But the CEO said he wants to push for a quick debut if possible. He's eyeing late this year or early next."
"Not a bad timeline."
As long as it didn't clash with major comebacks.
Choi Ye-hee's eyes sparkled.
"When we debut and do a reality show, you'll host it, right, Han-do-ssi?"
"Hahaha, if something like that comes up, I'd love to apply."
"Promise?"
Kang Han-do hooked his pinky with hers.
Maybe it was seeing Choi Ye-hee after so long.
His happiness meter shot up instantly.
* * *
The day of VSLine's debut stage finally arrived.
Kang Han-do headed to the members' waiting room with the camera crew.
Knock knock knock.
He knocked lightly before carefully opening the door.
The members jumped in surprise at his entrance.
They'd heard VS Together filming would happen alongside, but not that Kang Han-do was coming.
The production team had kept it secret on purpose.
"How's everyone? All prepped?"
"Yes. We just finished rehearsal, but... I'm a bit nervous."
Even leader Eun-young couldn't hide her anxiety.
Kang Han-do took a seat and gathered their attention.
"It's normal to feel nervous. A bit of tension is good. But the most important thing is to put on a stage that's true to you. The VSLine I've seen so far is a group that enjoys whatever situation comes their way. So enjoy it. Think of it as going up there to have fun. If you're having fun, the audience will too."
He reached out his hand.
"Come on, fighting before you go up!"
"Yes!"
Energized by his words, the members raised their voices again.
"On three, shout 'Let's have fun!' One, two, three!"
"Let's have fun!"
Their happiness levels, which had been dragging on the floor, started climbing again.
Only then did Kang Han-do flash a satisfied smile.
This was VSLine at their most authentic.