Chapter 31. A Stage that Widens Stages (3)

Translator: Synopsis

An entirely different sound was coming from the 2nd-floor practice room where SeasonS members were practicing. Electric sounds which made one’s shoulders move up and down was filling the training room.

“This is our song? It’s completely my style?!”

Song HaNeul was moving her shoulders up and down when she got even more excited and started waving her hand. The exciting electric sounds had the power to shake one’s body.

“The song’s mood has completely changed. It’s entirely different from the original.”

Jang HanNa looked worried. Her concern stemmed from the fact that she didn’t have much contact with electric sounds. Moon JiHye seemed to think that it wasn’t so bad, and Kang HyeSeon was already shaking her body along with Song HaNeul.

“That’s the end.”

KangYoon stopped the members who were enjoying the music in a variety of ways. All gazes gathered on KangYoon.

“It’s this kind of feeling. How is it?”

“It’s good!!”

It was from Song HaNeul, who was always straightforward. She seemed to have taken a liking to it as she still couldn’t let go of the excitement. In contrast, Jang HanNa appears to hesitate as she was worried.

“I think it’s a bit too ‘shocking.’ A club song in a department store stage, isn’t it too riske?”

Of course, there was the fact that she didn’t like the genre itself as well. However, considering the unspecified audience, it wasn’t just an excuse. Clubs are a culture that’s enjoyed by people in their 20s, and many people would find it uncomfortable once they reach their 40s.

“Unni, why are you like that? I like it, though.”

“HaNeul, it’s not something to think so positively about.”

“Unni, we’re leaving everything to him anyway. What are you so worried about? It will go well for sure.”

Song HaNeul was already going towards KangYoon-worshipping as the electric sounds already seduced her. Jang HanNa tried to say something, but she held it down. She planned to slap her back after KangYoon left.

While everyone was talking to themselves about the song, KangYoon once again gathered attention onto himself.

“I did bring the song, but the choice is yours. I said before, but I won’t force you anything. If you go with the original, there’s an advantage that you can appeal to your already existing fans while the current song has the advantage that there will be a ‘shock’ and will become a hot topic. If there’s a disadvantage, it’s that there are insufficient fans for you to appeal to and that a ‘shock’ always brings risks.”

Now was the time to decide. Today, he had to hand over the list of rental equipment over to the rental company, so that they can prepare and adjust to the schedule, as it was difficult to drag it out any longer.

While KangYoon was waiting for their choice, the SeasonS members seemed to have decided as Jang HanNa spoke as their representative.

“We’ll go with the arranged version.”

“Good. Then I’ll think up of the necessary equipment and the concepts. You should think up of a dance routine that fits a club concept to replace the original dance routine as well.”

“JiHye, do you think you can think up of a club dance routine?”

At Jang HanNa’s question, Moon JiHye replied.

“I will try. Let’s do it right away.”

“Okay!! Well, then, let’s practice!!”

When the SeasonS members got into formation to practice, KangYoon quietly left and went downstairs to the office. It was to talk about the details regarding the concert with President Yoon MoonSoo.

“This is the stage of Yen Department Store.”

KangYoon spread out the stage sketch, concept, and various other photographs on the table. President Yoon MoonSoo looked at each of the documents and the photos over one by one.

“The stage is not big. You can consider that there’s enough space for five people to dance at once. One monitor and one speaker, other than that, there’s no other equipment for singers. The equipment we’re setting up for ourselves is the psychedelic lights, laser beams, and a fog machine. There is no other equipment.”

“It’s less than I thought.”

“There’s no budget.”

“……”

At KangYoon’s straight ball, President Yoon MoonSoo became silent; money was always the enemy.

“As it’s winter, the sun will set early. I have set our stage as the 3rd from the back. It will change according to the day’s circumstances, but if there’s anything, we might be moved back, but there won’t be a case where we’ll be moved forward. The core of the performance this time is the production of a club-like atmosphere using the psychedelic lights, the laser beams, and the fog machine.”

“But wouldn’t the lights be too bright? It’s next to the department stores.”

“It doesn’t matter. Instead, it’s better to make it look less like a club. We’re going for a club atmosphere, not a real club.”

“Aha.”

President Yoon MoonSoo seemed to have understood KangYoon’s words as he tapped his knees. Of the essence, it was TV stage. Club elements are just spices. Spices make something taste better – meaning, it’s in no way, the essence.

“The lasers and the psychedelic lights will be 7 to 12 seconds at best. As you said, this will happen in a department store. If you turn those lights on for so long, then eyes will start hurting. We’ll use them momentarily to attract attention, and gather an audience, no matter how small.”

“……”

President Yoon MoonSoo exclaimed. If it really went as KangYoon said, then he thought that they would produce a hot topic on top of it being a good stage. It was just an event stage but to think that its uses expanded to this… He was the one to mention it at the beginning, but he had no idea that it can actually become real.

After talking, KangYoon left the office. While leaving the tattered building, KangYoon pondered about the stage.

‘The important thing is the degree of completion of the dance routine. I should check tomorrow.’

While writing down various things about the stage, KangYoon headed home.

.

.

.

Next day.

Inside the practice room of Dumaz Entertainment, the SeasonS members were sweating beads of sweat. A beat faster than before and the 30 seconds increase made all of them nervous while dancing.

‘This… is really no joke, isn’t it?’

KangYoon was really surprised while looking at the SeasonS members practicing. It was because the white light coming out from the members was very strong. Of course, as they hadn’t practiced enough, the lights from the members hadn’t harmonized with each other yet. However, KangYoon could be sure after looking at those lights. That the song was very compatible with the SeasonS members.

“Let’s try the original song too.”

KangYoon ordered for the original song just in case. From the members, who were dancing to the slower beat, KangYoon could see gray lights.

‘As expected, the answer lay in the arrangement.’

It wasn’t that the song was bad. However, it had a bad affinity with the SeasonS members. It was like a girl in puberty wearing clothes that did not fit her. The SeasonS members could also see that although the arranged version was more complicated, it had more degree of completion in regards to the dance routine, and was better in regards to the song itself.

After the comparison of the original and the arrangement was done, KangYoon gathered the SeasonS members.

“Now, we’re finished preparing. I have talked to your President about the details of the stage.”

“Yes.”

“Questions?”

At KangYoon’s question, Kang HyeSeon raised her hand.

“How is the costume? Is it risqué?”

“There won’t be a risk. People hate it if you show too much.”

“The president said that we need to take more off to attract attention…”

When Kang HyeSeon muttered, KangYoon shook his head.

“If you take more off once, then it’s harder to put it on again. People always want more stimulation. You need to show off moderately. You’re going to have a showdown using your dance. The song this time is good, so it’s doable. The equipment will also support you well, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Yes.”

Kang HyeSeon accepted and nodded her head. As she didn’t like showing off too much, she seemed relaxed after she heard that she wouldn’t show too much. The next question came from Moon JiHye.

“By what time do we need to arrive there?”

“The stage will start at 6:30. The technical rehearsal will start at three so arrive there before then.”

“It’s the weekend, so we need to see the time well.”

She kept in mind what should have been kept in mind by managers. Those girls all double acted as managers and coordinators.

KangYoon received a few more questions about the stage and explained them. He emphasized a lot the fact that they had to take care of their safety as it was a small stage, and the fact that they should not panic when meeting the gazes of the audience as the distance between the stage and the audience was small.

After the conversation was over, KangYoon left the practice room and went downstairs. Now, he was at a stage where he should meet President Yoon MoonSoo and finish their business. When he arrived at the office, President Yoon MoonSoo was waiting with the required documents.

“Please sit here.”

President Yoon MoonSoo was very humble when confronting KangYoon. It wasn’t just because he was from a big company. The figure of KangYoon doing work, and the change in the attitude of the SeasonS members all enabled him to judge that KangYoon had the skills.

The things related to the transaction and the budget was already approved and signed. The documents left now were about equipment rentals and the costumes. KangYoon briefly went over the work with President Yoon MoonSoo and stood up.

“Thank you for your work, President.”

“Thank you for your work, Team Leader Lee. Now, we’ll meet at the rehearsal, then.”

KangYoon thought for a bit. The stage will occur in Daejeon. (T/N: Seoul and Daejeon are two different cities, they are about 160km apart). Does he really have to go all the way to Daejeon? In a budget point of view, it was a loss. There was no need for him in a small stage like that. When he organized his thoughts, KangYoon shook his head.

“I apologize. I think I should work on something else that day.”

“Is that so…”

“I will make up the best team of staff. The settings are all done, so you don’t have to worry about it. You just have to do whatever you want as prepared.”

President Yoon MoonSoo showed his disappointment. However, it was rude for him to request KangYoon to come all the way to Daejeon. KangYoon had already worked more than he had asked for.

“I understand. The work you did until now, I really thank you for it.”

“There’ll be good results.”

After a handshake with President Yoon MoonSoo, KangYoon left Dumaz Entertainment.

‘So what’s left is the results. I hope it goes well.’

While looking back at the tattered two-story building, Kangyoon wished for the best from the bottom of his heart.

***

Rooftop.

The warm winds of spring starting to blow after the chilly winds of winter made people gather on the rooftop. Starting with the employees having a smoke to relieve their fatigue and trainees who secretly came up to rest, and even the singers – the rooftop was always a place of rest for the people of MG Entertainment.

“Haa…”

Among them was Min JInSeo. While looking down at a building from a corner of a rooftop, she was in deep thought.

[Singer Preparation Class Transference Notice]

While reading the paper in her hands, Min JinSeo couldn’t erase the worry from her face. She should have been happy that she was promoted to the preparation class from the practice class, but her face didn’t look like that at all. It was because she was moved from the Acting Practice Class to the Singer Preparation Class. Her major literally changed.

‘What do I do about this? Should I apply to put me down?’

Min JinSeo crumpled the paper. It was a one-sided notice from the company. MG Entertainment was well-known for its strict rules. She couldn’t even imagine going against those rules. If she did, then it will bring a huge amount of obstacles in her activities later. Celebrities will die out and even be expelled from the company. MG Entertainment was such a scary place.

“Haa…”

The more she thought about it, the longer her sighs became. Min JinSeo thought about it a lot, but she couldn’t come up with an answer. When she looked to her side, the singer-seonbaes were all smoking in a relaxed pose. Like they were scattering their worries along with the smoke, she also wanted to scatter her worries.

“Should I smoke too…”

“Don’t. Don’t learn things like that.”

“Kyak!”

Someone interrupted while MIn JinSeo was muttering alone. When she looked to the side due to the surprise, it was KangYoon.

“T… Team Leader.”

“You look… complicated. Is there anything?”

“Oh, it’s…”

Min JinSeo started talking with a long sigh. It was the talk of the transfer to the Singer Preparation Class from the Acting Practice Class.

‘So this is the reason why she left.’

KangYoon knew why she left MG Entertainment to go to a small entertainment company in his ‘past life’ after he heard from her. Of course, after she moved, her talent as an actress exploded out and she became a huge star.

After listening to Min JinSeo’s story, KangYoon’s expression became serious.

‘What do I do about it?’

There was no meaning to Min JinSeo if she’s not an actress. KangYoon knew that too well. However, the company wanted her to prepare as a singer. Min JinSeo was definitely eye-catching. She was tall, her body figure was good, and her natural voice was good as well so he could see why they wanted her to be a singer. Eye-catching can also be considered as having a good ‘star quality.’ However, KangYoon knew well that she didn’t want to be a singer.

After deciding his thoughts, KangYoon calmly started speaking.