Chapter 20. Hit or Flop (3)
2:00 midnight
Lee Hyun was still working in the office. Today, he was not recreating his songs, but looking at the profiles of celebrities in the free-agent market.
After they had gotten some money from selling songs, Kim Dongsu had told him to look for a celebrity to sign.
Maybe, it was too early for them to look for a celebrity to sign, but it was an arduous task to persuade a celebrity to contract with an agency.
Especially, when the agency was small and new like Mango Entertainment.
'I wonder if a well-known celebrity would even want to sign with us.'
Lee Hyun frowned thinking about it.
Honestly, finding someone from the streets was way easier than signing with an already known celebrity.
But they have better chances to succeed with a well known celebrity.
Moreover, it would take both money and time to groom someone from the start. He can't afford that currently.
Also, Lee Hyun just doesn't have that much patience.
He quickly wanted Mango Entertainment to have a celebrity of his own.
"Moon - A former idol group member, Ja Haneul - A singer well known for his soulful voice and Park Hyesoo - A vocalist of a band that disbanded last year."
Lee Hyun sighed and wrote down the names of a few small celebrities that may sign with Mango Entertainment.
They were all celebrities that have no agency and their career was at a standstill.
There was a higher chance of them signing with Mango Entertainment.
Still, he had a feeling that none of them would agree.
'I should think positively.'
Lee Hyun shook his head and leaned back on his chair.
Signing a celebrity was a tougher job than he had thought, but it was also the first step he needed to take in order to make Mango Entertainment a famous agency.
'If this didn't work, then I would have no choice other than finding someone from the street.'
He doesn't have much choice here.
It was not like he had not thought of finding the celebrities who would be famous in the future.
But there was a problem in this too.
First of all, he didn't know where he would find them. Moreover, most of them would already have already signed with an agency.
Those big agencies would never leave alone people who have talent.
Second, even if he managed to find someone who doesn't belong to an agency yet, it would be hard to make him or her into a celebrity.
Lee Hyun very well knows that talent is just the minimum requirement to become a celebrity.
You need more than that to succeed in the entertainment industry.
Currently, Lee Hyun can't do that.
That's why he was in a bind.
'Come to think of it, Lee Hyerin's mini album would have been released already!'
Lee Hyun suddenly thought. He looked at the clock and it was already midnight.
Lee Hyerin's album was going to be released at 12:00. It had already been a few hours since then.
"I hope the ranking is good."
A sense of nervousness suddenly engulfed Lee Hyun.
It was the same feeling he had felt when his first song was released. The feeling a newbie composer would feel.
He was quite confident about the song doing well earlier, but he was wrong.
As his previous songs didn't work, Lee Hyun was quite scared that Never give up would meet the same end as them.
'No, it won't be the same. My music is back!'
Lee Hyun thought in his mind and opened the music website.
The album cover of Lee Hyerin's mini album entered his view. The album was named 'Returning'.
Nike Entertainment had spent quite a lot in order to promote it. The album cover was displayed on the first page of the music website.
'I hope it does well.'
Lee Hyun prayed in his heart and clicked on the album cover. The five songs in the mini album appeared on the screen.
One of the songs has a 'Title song' written next to it.
He quickly clicked on that and it directed him to the music charts. Lee Hyun's eyes suddenly widened when he looked at the rankings.
"How can it be?"
Lee Hyun could not help but frown looking at the rankings.
[Never give up | Lee Hyerin - 51]
* * *
"Let's end the interview here."
Lee Hyerin stood up from the seat after the interview with a reporter from Entertainment weekly ended.
Entertainment weekly was a major celebrity magazine. That's why Lee Hyerin was trying to be as polite as she can.
'I'm tired.'
She thought and entered the lobby where her manager was waiting.
"Unnie, what's next in my schedule?"
"Um, actually, there's nothing."
"Huh?"
Lee Hyerin was surprised hearing that. The middle aged woman hesitated before opening her mouth again.
"We had planned some events and interviews, but the event company cancelled it, saying that they got a more famous singer."
Lee Hyerin frowned hearing that.
There was no way she would not know why this was happening.
Her mini album had not performed as well as she had thought. Her comeback would have deemed successful if her songs had reached top 40 in the charts.
But her title track was still stuck at 46.
There was no need to even mention her other songs. They have not even entered the top 60 in the charts.
If things kept going on like this, then her comeback would be regarded as a failure.
She didn't want that to happen at all.
"It's fine. I will go to the company to practice some more. There are some events tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, there are some."
"That's good."
Lee Hyerin tried to smile, but her mood was bad.
The middle aged woman also noticed that, but she didn't know what to say here.
'Is it because the song didn't suit me?'
Lee Hyerin thought in her mind.
Never give up was a song that she liked a lot and she felt that it suited her, but it looks like the people didn't think that.
She had even begun to think that thinking of making a comeback was a big mistake.
"Oh! I didn't know I would meet you here."
"Kim Jisu!"
Lee Hyerin raised her head when she heard that familiar voice. Kim Jisu was walking towards her and there was a mocking smile on her face.
"Why are you here?"
"I had an interview."
"Ah, it looks like the standards of Entertainment weekly had really gotten low. They are interviewing just anyone."
"You…!!"
Lee Hyerin really wanted to retort to that, but she knew very well that she didn't have anything to back up her words with.
Moreover, she was the loser here.
Kim Jisu's album had been successful. Her title song was even in the top 20 in various music charts.
She had the rights to be haughty here.
"Jisu, we are getting late."
Kim Jisu's manager said to her and she nodded her head. Her attitude said that she didn't want to waste her time talking to Lee Hyerin.
But before walking away, she came close to Lee Hyerin's face and whispered.
"You should go back to taking care of your daughter. There's no way your song would go up in the rankings unless a miracle happened."
Lee Hyerin didn't say anything to that.
She was not in the position to say anything. It was the rule of the world - Losers can only endure.
'I really hope your words came true."
Lee Hyerin thought as she looked at Kim Jisu's back.
Kim Jisu had said those without thinking, but three days later, a miracle did happen.