Chapter 69 - Want to Listen?

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[Untitled]

Public Appeal: A

Lyrical Quality: A

Addictiveness: A

Completeness: C

Affinity with Newstarz (Main Vocalist: Yoo Jeong-ah) is 90%.

————

The information window that displays the information of a musical piece.

Checking the information displayed there, Baek Hyeon-woo slowly opened his mouth.

“Everything else is good, but the Completeness is a bit lacking.”

An evaluation that could be perceived as rude depending on how you hear it.

However, Seol Woo-myeong smiled brightly.

“You guessed it like a ghost.”

Rather, looking even more pleased, Seol Woo-myeong stood in front of his standing desk.

“Please wait just a little. I'll let you hear it after I complete it properly.”

Just as Baek Hyeon-woo said, this was not yet the final version.

To raise the level of completeness, deep contemplation is needed. He has to put in the details one by one while deliberating.

If you do that, there's a risk that the song will become complicated and its public appeal will drop. Because the public likes songs that are easy to follow. The reason simple, repetitive hook songs easily gain popularity is similar.

Therefore, to raise the completeness without losing public appeal, a tremendous amount of effort is needed.

And, Seol Woo-myeong is a composer who feels the value in that effort.

He wanted to create a piece of music that maintained public appeal while raising its completeness as much as possible.

And while he's at it, with an addictiveness that remains in the ear.

And at the same time, so that it can subtly stimulate the emotions.

A song full of his greed as a composer, he wanted to complete it with all his might, without compromise.

“Understood. I will wait.”

Hearing Baek Hyeon-woo's words, Seol Woo-myeong gave a grin.

He recognized that the song wasn't complete yet, and he also understands well what kind of composer Seol Woo-myeong is.

Thinking that he wanted to continue working with Baek Hyeon-woo in the future, Seol Woo-myeong resumed his work.

……

Team Leader Kim Seon-hee of the Haram Entertainment A&R team was feeling anxious.

This was because Baek Hyeon-woo, the manager who had recently been promoted to team leader, had said, 'I was introduced to a certain composer, so I'll see if it's possible to commission him'.

‘Baek Hyeon-woo... he's a really strange guy.’

A guy who hasn't even been in the entertainment industry for half a year was building connections here and there and making amazing things happen.

The fact that Newstarz was rapidly gaining popularity right now could also be said to be thanks to Baek Hyeon-woo.

That same Baek Hyeon-woo had now stepped forward, saying he would bring a composer.

‘Will Baek Hyeon-woo really bring a good composer?’

Actually, these days, Kim Seon-hee was in a predicament.

Because a problem had arisen with Artion Publishing, with whom she had worked until now, she was looking into other publishing companies, but the results were really not good.

‘If I just wanted them to sing any old song, I could just request a piece from a publishing company right now. Then they'd just pick a suitable one from the songs they have and toss it over.’

This new song for Newstarz is an important project that could change the future of Haram Entertainment.

For that reason, she couldn't just roughly bring any song and have them sing it.

A new song made for Newstarz, one that's a perfect fit for them, is needed.

She has been continuously searching with that mindset, but the results are really not good.

However, if Baek Hyeon-woo really recruits a skilled composer and they get to use that song...

“Team Leader Kim.”

“……!”

Just as she was anxiously waiting to see what kind of result Baek Hyeon-woo would bring, Baek Hyeon-woo himself opened the door to the A&R team's room and revealed himself.

“I'm sorry. I'm too late.”

“Ah, no, it's okay.”

Kim Seon-hee gave a fake cough and looked at Baek Hyeon-woo's face.

“So, did you meet with that composer?”

“Ah, the meeting itself, I already had it a few days ago.”

“What?”

“I'm visiting today because the result is out.”

Baek Hyeon-woo held out a USB.

“Here, it's a song for which the work has come to a close. I would like the A&R team to check it.”

“Wh-What did you say?”

Kim Seon-hee couldn't believe her ears.

“The song is already out?”

“I'm sorry. It should have gone through the A&R team, but that side started making the song first.”

“No, that's...”

“Still, since I delivered the project proposal written by the A&R team, the requirements should have been reflected.”

What on earth is going on?

Kim Seon-hee accepted the USB with a flabbergasted feeling.

“Team Leader Baek, is this a newly worked-on song?”

“That's right.”

“Didn't he just toss you a song he already had? There's no way a song could come out this quickly.”

It would be a different story if it were a song camp where several people divide the work and make a song in a short period, but one composer making a song this quickly?

She didn't trust it at all.

“We haven't already said we'll do it, have we? That kind of decision isn't something you can make at your level, Team Leader Baek...”

The moment she played the song while nagging like that.

Kim Seon-hee froze on the spot.

“Huh...?”

A bold, intense beat that approaches.

An exquisite melody that stimulates the emotions.

There's an addictive hook part, and the overall composition is rich and filled with detail.

Kim Seon-hee could feel it instinctively.

If Newstarz's vocals are added to this song, it will definitely be a hit.

“T-Team Leader Baek.”

After listening to the piece from beginning to end, Kim Seon-hee grabbed Baek Hyeon-woo and asked.

“This, who composed it?”

“CEO Seol Woo-myeong of Paper Music composed it.”

Seol Woo-myeong.

Hearing that name, Kim Seon-hee's eyes widened.

“I-Is that really true? Seol Woo-myeong composed it?”

“Yes, that's right.”

“How did you, Team Leader Baek, to Seol Woo-myeong...”

“Because PD Seo Dong-cheol-nim introduced us.”

“Ah…!”

Seol Woo-myeong became a star composer after being in charge of the theme song for PD Seo Dong-cheol's 'Infinite Produce'.

“Wait, but I heard he wasn't composing these days? That Paper Music wasn't accepting commissions anymore and was just managing copyrights...”

“It seems he was in a bit of a slump.”

Baek Hyeon-woo answered calmly.

“It seems he has now escaped his slump. It looks like he will be actively promoting again.”

“……!”

Kim Seon-hee was at a loss for words.

Judging by his tone, it seemed Baek Hyeon-woo was greatly involved in Seol Woo-myeong's escape from his slump.

What on earth did he do?

‘What kind of kid is this?’

It was so absurd that Kim Seon-hee was speechless.

She had to say that the song was very good, and that they should sign an official contract and use it as Newstarz's new song, but the words wouldn't come out of her mouth properly.

“By the way, Team Leader Kim.”

Baek Hyeon-woo asked abruptly.

“Have you been under a lot of stress lately? Your shoulders seem very stiff.”

“What?”

Kim Seon-hee inadvertently touched her own shoulders.

“Ah, well... stress is stress, but actually, these days my second child keeps waking up at night.”

In fact, Kim Seon-hee was a working mom in charge of the A&R team while raising a child.

These days, her second child kept waking up every night, so Kim Seon-hee was also unable to get a good night's sleep.

“If you don't get enough sleep, the trapezius muscles tend to get stiff. Shall I massage them for you?”

“Massage them?”

Kim Seon-hee had also already heard that Baek Hyeon-woo was a former physical therapist.

And that he often gives massages to the Newstarz members.

“Then, may I ask?”

“Yes, of course.”

As she asked while hesitating, Baek Hyeon-woo stood behind Kim Seon-hee, who was sitting in a chair.

And he began to slowly massage Kim Seon-hee's shoulders.

“This spot is very knotted.”

“Agh…!”

Flinch!

The moment strength went into Baek Hyeon-woo's fingers, she felt a muscle jump inside her shoulder.

At that, a thrilling coolness shot up from her shoulders to the back of her head.

“It will probably hurt a bit, but I have to release it properly.”

“Aack…!”

Why is his hand strength so strong?!

At a grip strength that couldn't even be compared to when her husband massaged her, Kim Seon-hee continuously screamed.

“Agh, agh, ow ow ow, ah, there, there, agh… th-that's right, there! Agh!”

It hurts.

It hurts so much.

But it's so refreshing.

So she couldn't tell him to stop.

While continuously screaming, Kim Seon-hee received Baek Hyeon-woo's massage.

‘Baek Hyeon-woo, is this your secret? Did you get the new song with this?’

Did he capture Seo Dong-cheol and Seol Woo-myeong with this skillful touch?

Thinking such thoughts, Kim Seon-hee let out a thrilling cry of admiration.

……

Just because the composer has delivered the song doesn't mean it's the end.

Arrangement, re-arrangement, tune adjustment, mixing, mastering... only after going through various processes does it become a music track that can be released to the world.

It's an obvious thing to say, but you also have to go through the process of commissioning a lyricist and receiving the lyrics, and also go through the recording process where the singer sings the song.

“How is it, does everyone have an opinion?”

The day of monitoring, where they played the music track in various environments for a final check.

The Newstarz members, who had gathered at Team Leader Kim Seon-hee's call, took off their headsets and let out a long breath.

“It's a song we sang, so it's a bit embarrassing to say this, but...”

The one who opened her mouth first was Seo Na-eun.

“The song is so good.”

It wasn't just Seo Na-eun.

The rest of the members also stated their impressions with moved expressions.

“I felt it since we were recording, but don't you think this is really going to be a huge hit?”

“I think the addictiveness of the chorus has gotten much stronger than when we recorded. The feeling that it keeps staying in your ear?”

“Th-This, can't we aim for number one on the charts with this?”

“As expected, I think it was a song that really suits us.”

Kim Seon-hee smiled in front of the talking members.

“You guys, be grateful to Team Leader Baek. If it weren't for Team Leader Baek, you wouldn't have had the chance to sing this song.”

At those words, the members' gazes all turned at once to Baek Hyeon-woo, who was in the corner.

In front of the members who were looking at him with admiring gazes, Baek Hyeon-woo said in a calm voice.

“I just went back and forth, that's all. The composition was done by CEO Seol, the singing was done by the members, and the recording work was done by Team Leader Kim.”

“Sigh, you're being so modest.”

Kim Seon-hee played the track again through the speakers.

“You too, Team Leader Baek, if you have an opinion, feel free to say it. There's still time until we register it on the music sites.”

Doo-doong.

Following the impressive intro, the members' singing voices flowed out.

He had already heard it several times, but he felt a pleased sentiment every time he listened.

————

[After girl]

Public Appeal: S

Lyrical Quality: A

Addictiveness: A

Completeness: S

Affinity with Newstarz (Main Vocalist: Yoo Jeong-ah) is 95%.

————

“It's perfect.”

A masterpiece song with not a single lacking part.

The time has come to release Newstarz's new song to the world.

……

‘My head hurts so much I could die.’

TVX broadcasting station, women's restroom.

Joo Ga-hee was huddled over, feeling a throbbing in her head.

She had come to the restroom because she felt like she was going to throw up, but nothing came out of her stomach.

‘There isn't much time left until the recording.’

Today was the day they were recording episode 6 of 'The Idol'.

In episode 5 of 'The Idol', which was recorded last week, the fourth eliminated team came out.

Since four out of the seven groups were eliminated, now only three groups remained.

The ones who survived episode 5 were N.A.N, Newstarz, and Choux-pop. They took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place respectively.

Choux-pop had narrowly survived. The score difference with the 4th place group that was eliminated was not large.

If there are no major upsets, the one to be eliminated today will be Choux-pop.

‘So annoying...’

At first, DP Entertainment had been painting a picture of Choux-pop maintaining their superiority against Newstarz and taking the final win.

But now, it's a situation where their elimination in 3rd place has become likely.

It's not even getting 2nd place after losing to N.A.N; they're being pushed out by Newstarz and will be eliminated in 3rd place.

They'll have to just suck their thumbs and watch N.A.N and Newstarz compete for the win in the final episode.

‘That's why I said it. That nothing good would come from getting involved with Newstarz.’

Joo Ga-hee had opposed appearing on 'The Idol'.

However, no one had listened to her.

Team Leader Jeong Do-woon and Director Seong Soo-ho pushed forward with the 'The Idol' appearance, and Seong Hae-won also actively agreed.

The result of that is this pathetic 3rd place elimination.

“Haah…”

If it were a normal day, she would have ground her teeth and burned with fighting spirit, vowing to defeat Newstarz by any means necessary.

However, with a migraine this severe, there's no chance of winning.

She would probably show a worse side of herself than usual today.

“I wonder if I'm going to get my ass kicked by that gorilla, Seong Soo-ho...”

To think the main vocalist is holding the group back, it's so pathetic.

As she was huddled over, steeped in self-loathing.

“Ah, I wish the new song would be released quickly.”

“Yeah, I'm curious what the reaction will be.”

Familiar voices were heard.

Newstarz's Laura and Seo Na-eun were coming into the restroom.

‘A new song?’

Is a completely new song from Newstarz finally coming out?

Not 'Gravity', which was just a change of the main vocalist, but a new piece of music created from the start on the premise of Yoo Jeong-ah being the main vocalist.

A song of the newly born Newstarz, one that has nothing to do with Joo Ga-hee.

When she thought about that coming out into the world, for some reason Joo Ga-hee started to feel suffocated.

“Unnie, I'll go on ahead.”

“Yeah, okay.”

The sound of Laura moving away from the restroom was heard first.

Right after that, Joo Ga-hee opened the stall door and came out without realizing it.

“Huh…?”

Seo Na-eun, in her personal clothes, not yet having changed into her stage outfit, was looking in the mirror.

Seeing that, Joo Ga-hee asked in a stiff voice.

“You guys, is a new song coming out?”

“Yeah.”

Seo Na-eun had a calm expression.

In the past, she always had a stiff expression whenever their eyes met.

“Want to listen?”

“What?”

Seo Na-eun took out her phone and wireless earphones from her bag.

“Why would I listen to your song...”

“You're curious, aren't you?”

In front of Seo Na-eun, who was holding out the earphones, Joo Ga-hee bit her lip.

Honestly, it's true that she was curious.

Because she wanted to know if Newstarz would become a bigger hit with a new song.

“……”

In the end, she couldn't overcome her curiosity.

Joo Ga-hee took the earphones and put them in her ears.

At that, Seo Na-eun nodded and operated her phone.

“I'll play it.”

Doo-doong.

The beat of the intro echoed.

And into Joo Ga-hee's mind, the new song of Newstarz began to flow.