Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Raise Three Idols Well And They’ll Launch a Confession Attack.

Episode 136: Overnight.

“…”

Relying solely on the lyrical guitar riffs and the members’ voices, the song, simple yet lonely, gradually incorporated strings like cello and violin, evoking an orchestral vibe.

At the highlight, harmonies and choruses from the members, combined with rhythmic claps, simultaneously added contrasting images of lyricism and excitement.

Perhaps, it could be criticized as overly classical or dismissed as old-fashioned, as its basic rhythm leaned heavily towards acoustic and country styles.

Both genres were far from trendy in the current girl group music scene.

Nevertheless, Cheon Jonghoon felt that this song, “Albatross,” was sophisticated.

“…That impudent guy.”

The man named Seon Taeyang, who had left an unforgettable impression on Cheon Jonghoon, resurfaced in his mind.

‘Oh my, if you’re that doubtful, you might as well hire a professional. I’m confident.’

Seon Taeyang was rude.

‘Don’t tell me you’re not confident?’

And he was extremely rude.

Yet, even Cheon Jonghoon acknowledged one thing: that Seon Taeyang had talent comparable to or even threatening to his own.

Which made him seem even more foolish.

‘I’ve become a fan of Gyeoul.’

That foolishness of lowering himself to claim to be a fan.

‘This K-pop scene is built entirely on the emotions of professionals. If you attach cheap fan-like sentiments to the artists you manage, it’s akin to publicly declaring you’re unfit to hold the reins.’

To Cheon Jonghoon, who believed in such a system of music and would later rise to its pinnacle, Seon Taeyang, who could have been the conductor wielding idols as instruments yet chose to be a fan, seemed utterly foolish.

Especially because it was evident he had the talent to do so.

But that wasn’t all of the impression he held of him.

“Was it called jealousy…?”

At the time, Cheon Jonghoon vehemently denied the word “jealousy” that Cheon Aram had used.

He was confident he wasn’t weak enough to harbor jealousy toward a rookie with nothing but talent.

Even now, he was confident he wouldn’t feel jealous just over someone’s talent.

After all, he had never felt that way toward other geniuses like Oh James.

And now, recognizing the difference, Cheon Jonghoon admitted that he had been jealous of Seon Taeyang.

If someone shines, the person next to them will inevitably shine less.

If the system shines, the artist will be reduced to just an instrument; if the artist shines, the system will be seen as a cumbersome shell to escape from.

In the end, the relationship between an artist and a producer is one of constant struggle for dominance, to avoid becoming a substitute that’s easily consumed and used.

This was the thought that Cheon Jonghoon, the producer, had built over his lifetime.

But Seon Taeyang was different.

‘I do wish for Gyeoul, a gem, to shine. That’s why I wanted to join the company SS to help. But that’s not all I wanted.’

He was a manager.

‘I hope that Gyeoul smiles within that light.’

At the same time, he was a producer.

Someone who could make the idol shine without losing his own light.

Rather than sharing control with limited light, he made that light itself brighter.

He was someone with that kind of talent.

No one in the world had recognized Seon Taeyang’s talent except Cheon Jonghoon.

Because of that, he was experiencing jealousy for the first time in his life.

And Seon Taeyang proved it. With the song “Albatross,” he demonstrated that Cheon Jonghoon’s judgment was not wrong.

Cheon Jonghoon felt a tingling thrill running from his fingertips as he repeated to himself.

“…Right, if Seon Taeyang is that guy, then he has to do at least this much. This is how you break him. If he’s to be the rival of my life’s greatest masterpiece, Alcest, this is what he must do!”

In fact, Cheon Jonghoon’s current situation could not exactly be called favorable.

Since his overreach to interfere with Seon Taeyang and Gyeoul had caused his position as the designated successor to collapse, his younger sibling was now eyeing that position.

Investment and authority had dwindled. Yet, if he couldn’t make Alcest successful now, he would be left with a career that couldn’t recover and might have to hand over his position to his younger sibling.

In that sense, the emergence of such a powerful rival as Girl Revolution was an absolute misfortune for him.

Yet, even with those calculations running through his mind, a smile appeared on Cheon Jonghoon’s face.

“Good, I’ll make Seon Taeyang feel that there’s a wall he can’t overcome yet.”

Cheon Jonghoon had now fully recognized Seon Taeyang’s talent.

But that didn’t mean he had given up on the idea of music within the system that encompassed his life.

On the contrary, his competitive spirit had surged.

It was a desire to prove to that young genius that his system, and Alcest, were more right.

Filled with the desire to create and to compete, Cheon Jonghoon began checking the track he had already finished mastering once more.

With more passion than ever, for a better song to defeat Seon Taeyang and Girl Revolution.

Seo Soo-ae, his secretary, was watching his retreating figure with an unsteady gaze, unable to conceal her nervousness as she bit her nails.

Seo Soo-yeon, who had been handling financial matters at TwoBear until late, dragged her tired body home after work.

She neatly adjusted her suit, took a quick shower, and then saw something unusual at home.

It was her older sister, Seo Soo-ae, coming out of her room.

“Why are you coming out of my room, unnie?”

Seo Soo-ae, who hadn’t expected to face her, paused for a moment but then looked her in the eye and spoke confidently.

“Yeah, I just thought I’d check if there was any trash in your room while cleaning up.”

“Trash?”

That was a strange thing to say. Showing such thoughtfulness wasn’t something Seo Soo-ae normally did.

If someone asked whether they got along, Seo Soo-yeon would say no. But if asked whether they were close, she would shake her head as well.

Both Seo Soo-yeon and Seo Soo-ae had lived under the protection of the Cheon family, raised from childhood to assist Cheon Aram and Cheon Jonghoon, respectively, through training, proving their worth, and serving.

Having spent most of their time for him and her, they rarely met each other. Despite living together under the house rules, their relationship was distant, akin to that of relatives seen only during holidays.

Despite being sisters, they hadn’t formed a deep personal connection and maintained a distant relationship, keeping their privacy separate and avoiding any significant involvement with each other.

Because of this, Seo Soo-ae’s behavior now felt extremely out of place.

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

“What’s with the interrogative tone? I did this with good intentions.”

“…Next time, there’s no need. I throw out the trash every morning myself.”

“Yeah, you’re as neat as you say. I just checked in case.”

“…”

Seo Soo-yeon felt something was off, but decided to let it go.

She thought that creating trouble with Seo Soo-ae, Cheon Jonghoon’s right-hand, would not be beneficial for TwoBear, especially at this crucial time.

As Seo Soo-yeon tried to suppress her doubts and move on, Seo Soo-ae stopped her.

“Is the company okay?”

“What do you mean, is it okay?”

“I was just wondering if anything difficult has happened. If there’s someone you need to vent to, I’ll take the role of the listener. I’m good at that as a secretary.”

Seo Soo-yeon sighed softly and replied.

“There’s nothing like that. Even if there was, I don’t plan on talking about it.”

“…”

“You know where we stand, right? If private conversations take place here, it could have a bad influence on Miss Aram. And that goes for your role serving Jonghoon as well.”

“…”

“Let’s just do what we need to do for them.”

Seo Soo-ae, staring blankly at the empty space where Seo Soo-yeon had just been, muttered softly.

“…Right, I think the same. We must do what we need to.”

Girl Revolution, ‘Traitor’ ranks 54th on the ‘Music Challenge’… A Successful Debut Signal

(Seoul = This Idol) Reporter Choi Jeongwoo.

The ‘dark horse’ Girl Revolution, who no one had expected, made an extraordinary debut with their new song ‘Traitor’ and simultaneously succeeded in charting on music broadcasts. This success is highly unusual, especially as boy groups have established solid fanbases, leaving girl groups with less power.

On the afternoon of the 13th, Girl Revolution ranked 54th on the CBS CTV music ranking program ‘Music Challenge’ with their new song ‘Traitor,’ marking a successful debut. Considering the speed of their chart entry, they could even aim for first place with this great start.

When the ranking was announced, Girl Revolution’s sub-vocalist and the top-ranked contestant on the survival program Girl 100, Han Gyeoul, expressed her gratitude on social media, saying, “I’m truly, truly thankful to the fans. I’ll show you even better results from now on.”

That day, Girl Revolution performed their debut stage with the title track ‘Traitor’ from their package album ‘Revolution.’ Girl Revolution captivated viewers with their unique combination of allure, elegance, and passionate energy.

With bold street fashion, a mix of groomed uniforms and styles like shaving and tailored designs, paired with elegant makeup, they showcased one of the most visually striking and captivating girl group styles in history.

‘Traitor’ is a pop track combining a rhythmic piano pattern with unique synths, composed by the super producer Oh James, who has contributed to many classic K-pop songs. The song stands out with the lyrics by a global label mega-hit, Oh Yoori’s rap, and the members’ diverse vocals.

The minor scale melody flowing smoothly over the pizzicato, the rich bass trap beat, and the lyrics depicting a dangerous, rebellious love added to the elegant and addictive atmosphere of the song.

Girl Revolution doesn’t plan to rest on their strong start and will continue to actively appear on broadcasts. Therefore, the fierce momentum of these four girls is expected to keep accelerating without slowing down.

All eyes are on whether they will be able to break through the wall of girl group music broadcast No. 1, a feat that has been silent for nearly a year.

Seok Hyun-woo, with trembling hands, read the article and asked me.

“Team Leader Seon, isn’t this a huge hit?”

“It’s not just a hit.”

“Eh? Then what is it?”

I rolled my eyes and firmly stated to Seok Hyun-woo, who was looking confused.

“It’s a massive hit.”

The possibility of Girl Revolution’s No. 1 spot was suddenly sharp and clear.