God of Music – Chapter 11: Sweeping Japan (7)

One day before the Music Station live broadcast .
KangYoon was at the opening hall of Asai TV where the live recordings would be carried out .

[There, there!! Ah, really!! Hey, what do you want me to do if you put the moving there?]
(I’m not sure what a ‘moving’ is… Probably a stage prop)
[I’m sorry, I’m sorry . ]
[You idiot! Look at the blueprint, the blueprint!!]

Music Station didn’t have a lot of stage props to set, but today a large scale construction was underway . Thanks to that, they had to hire one-time workers, which they didn’t do normally, so the place was chaotic .
A Music Station stage was a stage where various singers requested various things . If they accepted all those requests then the stage would just become pure chaos . Still, due to Producer Yokozeki cutting a majority of the requests so the stage was less chaotic than before .
However, there was one person who this knife-like producer couldn’t refuse a request from . It was the request from KangYoon, who was in front of his eyes .

[I repeat but if you spread rumors around how I let you do all this, then I will be in a real mess . ]
[I understand . Thank you . ]

Producer Yokozeki spoke to KangYoon with a difficult expression . KangYoon nodded as if he knew everything . For him, he needed to repay KangYoon, who filled the sudden blank . KangYoon also knew that fact and used it moderately . Of course, if rumors spread around how this happened, then chaos would ensue . If the live broadcast happens, then there maybe suspicions, but Producer Yokozeki said he would take care of what would happen afterwards .

[This really is a first . You did say you will take care of the stage prop expenses but a specialized stage like this should never happen . ]
[I will make not regret your consideration . ]

To think he allowed a foreigner, moreover, a Korean, to do this… Producer Yokozeki sighed . Of course, he partnered with Genex, one of the big 3 entertainment companies of Japan, but strictly speaking, this was a contract between a Korean entertainment company and Asai TV . To think something like this would happen in this close-minded TV station…
KangYoon left Producer Yokozeki and headed to the stage . The stage was wide and the lightings and the stage props were all beautiful . He checked the blueprint and the devices one by one and he went to the lightings director to discuss about the settings .

[It will start with a blue tone and it will slowly…]

After discussing the settings of the lights with the lightings director, he also discussed how the device should be used, timing and lots of other details . Originally, he would just leave it to the lightings director completely, but this time, he couldn’t completely let it go . KangYoon needed to have the entire structure of the stage in mind .
KangYoon, who was at Asai TV station all morning, returned to MG Entertainment Japanese branch in the afternoon . In the branch office, the already produced albums were piled up and the office workers including the promotion team, JooAh’s manager, and various on-the-scene workers were on their edge waiting for the schedule .
The day before JooAh’s Japanese debut, the entire company was in tension .

“Oppa, you came?”
“Yes, I came . ”

JooAh, who was practicing the dance with the dance team greeted KangYoon cheerfully . Her thin clothes were tightly clinging to her body due to sweat . KangYoon handed out bottles of cold water .

“Thank you!!”

Everyone, who were practicing, quickly whisked away the bottles . Then, resting time came naturally . JooAh naturally came next to KangYoon and sat .

“Is the preparation going well, oppa?”
“It is going well . You can do the rehearsal, and the dry rehearsal too, so don’t worry about it . ”
“Wow . Oppa’s really skillful . I didn’t think I would be able to do that here . ”

JooAh resolved that she would start from the bottom no matter the treatment, when she came to Japan . She heard that Japanese idols came to work on the subway . No rehearsal time was the basics . However, when she worked with KangYoon, the preparation was so perfect that she didn’t need to worry about anything .

“Didn’t I say? That you only need to focus on the music . ”

JooAh never had it this easy . Until now, KangYoon never contacted her outside singing, or made her worry while working . He really made JooAh be able to focus only on music .

“…Oppa is really amazing huh . ”
“Hey, you’re giving me the shivers . I can watch the practice, right?”
“OF course . Please watch . ”

JooAh had no hesitation at all . Until now, she had no schedules including minor ones . This meant that she could pour all her effort into practice . JooAh was confident .
Resting time ended soon .
In the training room which had mirrors on all 4 sides, Dancers stood around JooAh with her as the center . With the ready signal, KangYoon played the music .

-胸で – – 叫ぶ – – dream – – (‘munede – – sakebu – – dream – -’ / dream – – my heart – – cries out – -)

Through the speaker, JooAh’s voice spread out to the surroundings . And JooAh and the dancers started dancing in unison . JooAh’s wave and the dancers’ wave matched nad the dance became one .
In KangYoon’s eyes, it wasn’t only the dance that was reflected .

‘The light comes out with JooAh as the center, huh . The light from the dancers makes JooAh seem brighter . Is it due to the rhythm of the song? It sure is beautiful . ’

White light came out from JooAh originally but today, she looked more shiny . That light was so bright that KangYoon subconsciously wanted to close his eyes . It was that bright, and beautiful, of a light .

‘This in addition to live… I won’t be able to open my eyes . ’

Looking at JooAh’s rehearsal, KangYoon’s expectations became higher . JooAh was a top class singer no matter who said something . His expectations were also becoming reality like that .

***

Currently, MG Entertainment was all focused on JooAh’s Japansese album . It was because they would decide if they would spread overseas for real, according to the success and failure of this album .

“Is it not time yet?”
“Yes, President . There’s two more hours . ”

President Lee HyunJi showed an expression of nervousness, which was unlike her . The secretary brought her a cup of tea, but unlike usual, she didn’t drink it and she just cooled it down .

“JooAh has to do well today, I’m worried . ”

President Lee HyunJi, who was stirring her tea cup round and round all the time, turned her eyes to the paperwork which she didn’t go over . It was a report about the selection of the next generation girl group .

“The things trainers evaluate on are all about ability and they are no good in evaluation the qualities of a star . Hmm… Secretary Yang . The planner for the next generation girl group wasn’t decided yet right?”
“Yes, President . ”
“The Chairman also didn’t say anything special, right?”
“Yes, he didn’t mention anything concrete yet . ”
“Is that so…”

President Lee HyunJi started flipping the report with the title ‘Report on Candidates for the Next Generation Girl Group’ and looked through it . There was a acceptance box, but she didn’t check the box . She just wrote ‘turned down’ in big letters and put it on one side .

“Shall I give it to the Team Leader?”
“Just leave it . There’s another person to give this to . ”

The secretary politely bowed and left, and President Lee HyunJi looked at the clock again nervously .

***

D-Day .
From early morning, KangYoon and JooAh headed towards Asai TV on the van . They came early thinking they would rehearse first and confirm the line of sight, unlike other singers .

[You really are hard working . ]
[Hahaha . ]

Producer Yokozeki could only be stunned while looking at KangYoon . Until now, he hadn’t seen this kind of strange planner . Moreover, a planner that appeared on the scene so frequently like this… He even wondered if all Koreans were like this .
They came early in the morning so JooAh could have a total of 3 rehearsals before other singers came . Although they couldn’t use the stage devices, but they could confirm the line of sight and even had a dress rehearsal so it was all worth it .
After KangYoon greeted the staff again, when he came back to see that JooAh was missing, he asked her manager who was behind the stage .

“Where has JooAh gone to?”
“She’s in the waiting room . She said she wanted to be alone…”

KangYoon headed straight towards the waiting room . It was to check for her condition for the final time . He knocked the tightly shut waiting room door .

“Who is it?”

However, a sharp voice could be heard .

“May I come in?”
“KangYoon-oppa? Come in . ”

When she realized it was KangYoon, her voice became softer . KangYoon carefully went inside .

“How is your condition?”
“It’s the best . ”

JooAh, who was already wearing the dress for the stage and prepared to go on the stage, was calming her mind . The makeup wasn’t completely done yet, but she was imagining today’s stage while controlling her mind .

“That’s a relief . Then have a good rest . ”

KangYoon didn’t talk a lot . JooAh was a person who did better if you believed in her . KangYoon who already knew her character didn’t need to say anything more to her .
However, it was JooAh who grabbed KangYoon who was about to leave .

“Oppa . ”
“Yes? Do you need anything else?”
“…Oppa is sure different . ”
“What is?”

KangYoon felt strange . JooAh always said this . When he was about to ask what she meant, since he didn’t know, JooAh spoke .

“Everybody else only tries to control me . Saying I’m too young, saying I’m being paid attention to, saying I can’t look after myself alone, etc… But oppa was different . You kept believing in me . Thank you . ”

The thought that that person believed in me . Trust .
To JooAh, KangYoon’s such thoughts were very big . MG Entertainment meticulously only sends a singer that was planned by a planner . They were tight on the watch even to the point that they wrote scripts for what one should say and what one shouldn’t, and even made up one’s character . However, KangYoon was different .
He set the environment for JooAh to do whatever she wanted to do on the stage, and he planted the thought that he always belived in her . This was the reason why JooAh came to trust KangYoon . And the various things KangYoon showed him, whether it was the incident in the recording studio or the debut stage… ‘I am behind your back so do whatever you wanted to do’ – this reassurance was the final strike .
Now, JooAh would believe it even if KangYoon said that the sun rose from the west .

“JooAh . ”
“Yes, Oppa?”
“If you are thankful, then just sweep them all . Okay?”
“Of course . Look forward to it . ”

When KangYoon held up his right hand, JooAh high fived him with a loud sound before running onto the stage .

.
.
.

[Singer JooAh goes on top of Japan after Korea]
9:25AM Thursday 20th December

-Celebrity news reporter Lee YeonCham . [1]

JooAh, a Korean singer, topped 1st on the Oricon chart . JooAh, who debuted with the album ‘Girls on Best’, had her debut stage on Asai TV’s Music Station with the title song ‘The One’ . And after that she rose up sharply and within one week, she was at the summit . Until now, there wasn’t a case where a foreigner singer stood on Music Station and it is analyzed that her astonishing ability was the main reason .
(Omitted)
JooAh is considered one of the top singers of the Korean singer industry . She debuted at 14…
(Omitted)
JooAh who debuted beautifully through Music Station gathered momentum and various TV stations are sending love-calls to her . The order for albums were also endless and so a 2nd production is now in process .
(Omitted)
Through JooAh’s precedent, it is expected that Korean singers would finally start debuting in Japan for real .

(The above is a news article, if you didn’t get it)

Translator’s note

‘Girls on Top'(which sounds a bit… lewd?) is changed to ‘Girls on Best’ . Author was inconsistent with the title, so I’m going with ‘Girls on Best’, which he used more frequently, (and is used in this chapter too)

[1] Interesting note, ‘YeonCham’ means chain release of chapters . Author probably did a double, and guess what, I did a double too .

Btw, ‘Sweeping Japan’ arc is 8 chapters (i . e . one more left)

Oh, if anyone has a better word for ‘planner’ (or even better, know the actual term) then please leave it in the comments . A planner (like MC) is someone who makes strategies for a singer/idol for their debut/album/etc . ‘Producer’ is fixed to a program . ‘manager’ is fixed to an idol, but a planner may have to move between idols . ‘Supervisor’ is too generic… Anyway, the dictionary isn’t helping right now .