Chapter 83 - There's One More Shot Left

Music site real-time charts have different calculation methods for each site. Because users' tendencies are also different, there are many times when a song that achieved 1st place on one site is in the double-digit ranks on another site.

'Gravity', newly recorded with Yoo Jeong-ah, achieved 1st place in real-time on some sites, but it couldn't record such a standout rank on other sites. Especially on the 'Lap Music' NEW100 chart, the site with the most users, around 30th place was its best.

For that reason, they had been hoping that this new song 'After girl' would record a better result than that time.

“Huh?”

“What?”

After checking the Lap Music NEW100 chart, everyone could not hide their astonishment.

This new song wasn't in the 50s range, and it wasn't in the 30s range.

“17th place…?”

“Didn't N.A.N's last single start at 18th place...?”

Just as everyone was flustered at the result that was beyond what they had expected.

Baek Yeon-ah raised her voice.

“Director Park! Check the TOP100 chart!”

“Ah, understood!”

Park Yeong-ho moved the mouse.

Unlike the NEW100 chart, which only aggregates new songs, the TOP100 chart is a ranking aggregated from all songs. It was a chart where the signature songs of global popular groups or the albums of popular trot singers were 'squatting'.

“It's in! It's 85th place!”

“Wow…!”

Everyone let out a cry of admiration. Last time, Newstarz couldn't even get their name on this TOP100 chart.

“Other sites? How are the other sites?”

“Ah… It's 1st place on Worms!

Worms was real-time 1st place last time too, but still, 1st place was a happy event.

“It's 1st place on Bont Music too!”

“X-Fi 3rd place! It's higher than with Gravity!”

The office became a crucible of excitement. It was a splendid achievement that Haram Entertainment had never experienced since its establishment.

“Wow, I wonder if this is also the effect of the actor, Lee Dong-jae-nim's SNS?”

“Of course it is. How many articles poured out.”

“It probably raised the rank by several places.”

If you look at the Lap Music HOT100 chart, the b-side tracks from the comeback album of the boy group Drum Fire, who were considered competitors, were clustered between 20th and 30th place.

If it weren't for Lee Dong-jae's SNS, it's highly possible they would have been pushed out by Drum Fire by a small margin and recorded a rank of around 30th place.

17th place and 30th place have a completely different feel. The tone of entertainment articles will also change, and it's highly likely the future developments will also change.

“I guess So-yeong and Hyeon-woo did really well for the actor, Lee Dong-jae-nim? We benefited a lot thanks to that.”

Baek Yeon-ah said to Baek Hyeon-woo while laughing.

Until now, Baek Yeon-ah had been feeling regretful that she couldn't spend a lot of money on promotions because of the limitations of a small-medium agency.

Thanks to Lee Dong-jae, they did a huge amount of promotion without spending a single penny, so you could say they were really lucky.

“The start is very good. Now, let's ride this momentum and on the music shows too...”

Right at that moment.

Unlike the other employees who were swept up in excitement, Baek Hyeon-woo, who was maintaining a calm expression, opened his mouth.

“There's one more shot left.”

“What?”

There's one more shot left.

The employees' gazes focused on Baek Hyeon-woo, who was saying something strange.

“Episode 1 of 'Going to Work Today Too' on TVX is airing soon, right.”

“Ah…!”

'Going to Work Today Too', which was filmed with PD Kim Jun-hyeok, was filled with content promoting Newstarz's new song.

And...

“Just now, Yoon Si-kyeong-nim posted on his SNS that he is also appearing.”

“What? Si-kyeong posted a notice on his SNS?”

“I'd been asking him continuously since earlier. To please post it on SNS.”

“……!”

The reason Baek Hyeon-woo was the only one quiet among the enthusiastic employees was because he had been continuously sending messages to Yoon Si-kyeong on his phone.

Seeing Lee Dong-jae's SNS become a hot topic, he judged that if Yoon Si-kyeong also posted like that, the promotional effect would be considerable.

Yoon Si-kyeong was extremely annoyed, but since he had to continue receiving treatment from Baek Hyeon-woo in the future, he eventually posted a notice on his SNS.

“They say Yoon Si-kyeong-nim has never once appeared on a variety program before. Entertainment articles will pour out.”

Yoon Si-kyeong is a vocalist who represents Korea's summer music scene.

Although it's not that he's appearing as a main cast member, the news that Yoon Si-kyeong is making his first appearance on a variety show will create a huge buzz.

When it becomes a hot topic like that, who will benefit?

Newstarz benefits.

“This 'Going to Work Today Too' has a lot of scenes where Yoon Si-kyeong-nim teaches Newstarz to sing. People will think that Newstarz has become Yoon Si-kyeong-nim's disciples, and will probably try to listen to this new song.”

At the huge picture Baek Hyeon-woo had been painting, everyone swallowed dryly.

“So, there's one more shot left.”

How far up could they go?

No one could predict it.

……

Newstarz Dorm.

The five members were lying sprawled out in the living room. They had checked the music chart ranks, gotten all excited and jumped around, and then collapsed from exhaustion.

“Do you think we can hit #1 on the Lap Music NEW100?”

“Well, getting to #1 is really hard...”

Yoo Jeong-ah and Kanade exchanged words, lying on the floor.

Then Laura, who was next to them, opened her mouth.

“Since it's come to this, let's just hit #1 on the NEW100.”

“I'm telling you, it's really hard, Laura unnie...”

“Kanade, don't say such weak things. If we run around and promote more, it will definitely be possible.”

“B-But our stamina... we won't have enough...”

Their schedule was already packed solid. How could they run around more in this situation.

Kanade showed her reluctance, but Laura clenched her fist, burning with motivation.

“This time, Lee Dong-jae-nim even promoted us indirectly. 'Going to Work Today Too' will air on TVX soon, and it will be promoted even more thanks to the Yoon Si-kyeong sunbae-nim effect. We can't miss this chance.”

“But we really were lucky...”

Yoo Jeong-ah, who was listening to Laura's words, spoke cautiously.

“For all this support to come right when our new song is released... I think we're really lucky.”

“Jeong-ah, it's not luck.”

At that moment, Kim So-yeong, who was lying in a spot near the kitchen, opened her mouth.

“It's all the result of Hyeon-woo oppa working hard.”

“Ah…”

“Na-eun, isn't that right?”

At Kim So-yeong's confirmation, Seo Na-eun, who was lying on the sofa, nodded.

“Yeah, that's right.”

The fact that Lee Dong-jae posted a favorable message on SNS. And the fact that Yoon Si-kyeong agreed to film 'Going to Work Today Too' and taught Newstarz to sing. It was all because Baek Hyeon-woo did his best, regardless of the time or place.

“Manager-nim... he doesn't just pass things by just because it's someone else's business. He always does his best for everyone.”

For example, when he met Yoon Si-kyeong, if he had just passed him by as a stranger, Yoon Si-kyeong wouldn't have appeared on the variety show with them. This connection was formed because Baek Hyeon-woo approached him directly and treated him.

“That all just comes full circle and becomes a benefit to us.”

It's the same for when he gave Joo Ga-hee emergency treatment in episode 6 of 'The Idol'.

At that time, Baek Hyeon-woo didn't move with any calculation.

He just stepped up actively to resolve the emergency situation.

Even though his relationship with Joo Ga-hee was bad.

That came full circle and had a big influence on Newstarz's win on 'The Idol'.

“A sense of duty as someone who treats patients? Is it because something like that still remains?”

“Well, I think it's Manager-nim's true nature.”

Seo Na-eun answered calmly.

“He's a person who can't just leave someone alone if they're in trouble.”

“Yeah, it seems so.”

That's Baek Hyeon-woo's style.

He readily extends a hand not only to Newstarz, the group he's in charge of, but also to other people.

That style moved many people and supported Newstarz's rapid growth.

“Still…”

“……?”

Seo Na-eun trailed off.

Kim So-yeong felt concerned for some reason and raised her head. But because Seo Na-eun had turned her body toward the sofa back, she couldn't see her face.

“It's nothing.”

“……”

Suddenly, Kim So-yeong recalled 'Keep your eyes' which Seo Na-eun had sung a while ago.

Just like those song lyrics that say don't look away at others and look only at me, isn't Seo Na-eun perhaps wishing that Baek Hyeon-woo would set other people aside and care only for Newstarz or just Seo Na-eun herself.

But that's something that can't be.

Because if Baek Hyeon-woo was that kind of person, he wouldn't have extended a hand to Newstarz in the first place.

“Na-eun-ah.”

Understanding the leader's complicated heart, Kim So-yeong spoke in a soft voice.

“Us, let's work hard.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Even if she can't monopolize Baek Hyeon-woo.

At least, so that Baek Hyeon-woo can regard them as the most charming idols in the world.

“1st place, let's take it.”

……

Episode 1 of TVX's observation variety show, 'Going to Work Today Too', was aired.

Because the rumor spread that WAVE's Yoon Si-kyeong was appearing on a variety show for the first time, it recorded higher viewership ratings than TVX had expected.

The people who watched the broadcast then logged onto music sites to listen to Newstarz's new song.

This was because the directing made them want to check for themselves the results of Yoon Si-kyeong personally teaching them to sing.

This could be called supporting fire for the new song's success, provided by TVX's PD Kim Jun-hyeok.

“5th place on the NEW100 chart, and we've entered the 30s range on the TOP100 chart…”

Park Yeong-ho groaned as he checked the charts.

“This isn't a rank you can climb just by being a momentary topic. It means people who listened once are continuously listening.”

The trend was good.

If people listening to 'After girl' continued to increase like this, it seemed they could really pull off something big.

“We might really be able to hit 1st place. Team Leader Baek, so…”

“I know, Director.”

Baek Hyeon-woo nodded.

“From now on, we must start the music show blitz.”

A group that has released a new song must make the rounds on various music broadcasts.

Starting with MBS's 'Music Big Show', they were scheduled to appear on each broadcasting station's music broadcast almost every day.

“Drum Fire is the biggest competitor. Right now their rank is lower than ours on the music sites, but there's no way they'll stay still.”

“I suppose so.”

“They'll keep us in check on the music shows too. It's something I felt while going around the broadcasting stations because of the set pre-recording, but those kids have already started their battle of nerves.”

The 6-member boy group Drum Fire.

They, who possess a fervent fandom, will also be making the music show rounds while promoting their comeback stage this time.

“You don't have to worry, Director.”

However, Baek Hyeon-woo was cold-headed.

“Whether it's Drum Fire or anyone else, we will crush them all. And riding that momentum…”

“Riding that momentum, let's hit 1st place on Lap Music?”

“We can't end it with just that.”

Baek Hyeon-woo said in a calm voice.

“The music show 1st places, let's get an all-kill.”