KPOP. A newly coined word that mainly referred to Korean idol music.
In fact, it was not a name given on its own in Korea.
'Perhaps the word has been around since the days of the Korean Wave.'
So, if the new mission was to 'break KPOP records', wasn't there a high probability that only records that were recognized abroad would be recognized?
I asked by text message to get confirmation about the status window.
[I've never thought of it that way, but I guess it's true.]
I hoped that it wasn't updated because I asked for it.
I closed my smartphone with a prickly heart.
After returning home, I was now sitting on the bed in my room.
Was I going to go to sleep? No. As soon as the completed copy of the special stage choreography arrived, I'd have to go to the practice room. It was because the end of the year wasn't such a fun season.
And likewise, my roommate who was sitting on his bed and waiting opened his mouth.
"If we have to break records, we have to do better than all our predecessors in the end."
"Yes."
He said 'I'll think about it' in the car, and he seemed to be really thinking about it. What a sincere guy.
The words that followed were characteristic of his personality.
"Why don't we take a look at a new evaluation item recently? It's easy for a new category to make a record."
It was a realistic remark worthy of a person who had run as an athlete.
"Let's see. First of all, there are tolerable records in Asia…"
VTIC owned it all. Fuck.
"Haha. Our seniors have been working hard, haven't they?"
"Yes."
They really were. They were number 1 for several weeks, a million-seller, and had a dome tour. All the records had already been set.
Even while TeStar focused on securing a domestic presence, VTIC even solidified its global presence… It could be seen that it was scratched and eaten.
"The same goes for South America."
"Yes."
Previously, the neighborhood where the K-pop market was a hit had a prominent record. Beating this record sometime next summer was a reckless challenge with just one live bullet.
And it was not necessarily the records of the predecessors that were the only obstacles.
"Everyone is still working hard. They have good results."
Globally, not only VTIC but quite a few groups had better grades than TeStar.
Ryu Chungwoo nodded as well, probably remembering what he heard in the company briefing.
"Well, it is difficult. Even if we try our best to create a good stage, there is no guarantee that the result will be good."
The entertainment industry was like that.
"It's a big question of timing and luck."
"Yes. There are many similarities, but I think it's a little different from sports in this area."
Ryu Chungwoo smiled bitterly.
"I tried to break records when I was an athlete, but celebrities don't just win and lose… It seems to be very complicated in that you have to win people's hearts."
"That's right."
I nodded, and Ryu Chungwoo seemed lost in thought.
The atmosphere was flowing with a story that was deeper than expected. It was better to catch it a little bit.
I slightly brought up the topic.
"Now that I've heard it, I'm also curious about what record you challenged before."
"Hm? Haha. It's not a big deal, it's a challenge for all archers. The Asian Games, the World Championships, and 3 Olympic gold medals. Being the youngest one and achieving all of that, that's what they all said."
"… …"
3 gold medals?
I didn't know what kind of industry Korean archery was.
'Why is he talking about gold medals as if it's like winning a local league?'
The ecosystem over there was beyond common sense.
"That's amazing."
"It's amazing, but it failed. I was not selected as a starter at the world championships."
Ryu Chungwoo grinned as if he was a bit embarrassed.
"Still, I got a record for being the youngest at the Olympics."
"That is great enough."
"Haha, will it be beaten soon? A lot of young friends came up to the selection finals…"
"… !"
Wait a minute. Something seemed to come out of those words.
'The youngest.'
Suddenly, a new road flashed in my mind.
'… Yes. That kind of approach is possible.'
It was not simply aiming for the best overall score, but subdividing the record items themselves in different directions.
To the extent that it could be used externally, towards 'items that appear to be present'.
'Okay, it's out.'
I was going to have to grab a strand this way. I nodded.
"Anyway, I'll think about your question some more. I'm sorry I can't tell you something useful right now."
"No, thank you. I think I got a hint."
"… ? Really? If so, that's good."
He had a face that said he was not sure where I got it from, but Ryu Chungwoo just laughed it off.
I added a word just in case.
"You can rest assured that I will never think of anything to the detriment of TeStar's common interests."
"I've never worried about that… Alright."
Ryu Chungwoo agreed to that extent.
It was a plainness that was no different from the reaction he showed when I said 'We have to win the grand prize'' last time.
"… …"
Come to think of it, he didn't even ask why I asked this until the end. It seemed like he guessed that it would be burdensome.
'How is there such a guy?'
It was the same as when we were in the car earlier. Uncharacteristically, I was a little impressed by the situation, so I honed it emotionally and moved on…
Come to think of it, I wondered how the hell this guy was understanding this situation.
'He seemed like the type who didn't believe in the supernatural at all.'
Did he believe in ghosts?
No matter how much there was a bottom line before, wasn't it too unrealistic to pass on the trust he had in Park Moondae?
'It doesn't look like he has other plans.'
I rubbed the back of my neck and just sighed.
Well, I didn't know. I just asked.
"Hyung."
"Hm?"
"What I said in the car earlier… I was wondering how hyung was so sure of my situation."
"… …"
"Honestly, it seemed like nonsense."
The proposition, 'Ryu Gunwoo and Park Moondae switched bodies' was true.
Ryu Chungwoo smiled shyly.
"Well, I actually tried to come up with another explanation… There were gaps in everything."
"… …"
"But at first, I wondered if the two of you were influenced by each other so much that you shared a lot together as if you were one. I thought I should take that into consideration and treat it well."
I remembered what he had suggested to me, 'You can speak comfortably'.
'Is that why?'
But the explanation did not end there.
"Then, I met 'Ryu Gunwoo' today… and realized that wasn't the case."
Ryu Chungwoo calmly concluded.
"You were very different… As if you were swapped."
"… …"
"So I remembered what you said the last time we climbed the mountain, like lightning."
-Just… I just acted the way I did.
Ryu Chungwoo laughed.
"If I take it literally, everything that has been questioned would fit right in. Cleanly."
"… …"
"Your knowledge, your coping skills, things like trauma. And the reactions of you and Ryu Gunwoo on the spot."
Ryu Chungwoo smiled bitterly.
"And why you got angry with me and avoided me before… The same thing."
"… …"
"It made so much sense."
The summer package.
Had he already thought about why I had outbreaks about his own car accident story, and put that into a category?
I kept my mouth shut, and Ryu Chungwoo continued to speak quietly.
"At that time, it was like I understood you one-sidedly, but… In fact, you've also been going easy on me. Right? I'm sorry."
"… No."
I barely answered.
"It is absolutely right for me to apologize."
Ryu Chungwoo laughed.
"Stubbornness seems to run in the family."
"… …"
"Anyway, that's how I found out. Of course, I still don't know the principle… But it's okay if you don't know. I don't have to listen to it."
After all, this guy… It was based on reason and exercised instinctive judgment.
On top of that, he was also a very easy-going guy, so it seemed like the situation had flowed smoothly all the way to this point, layer by layer.
'Besides, the value of the information was especially high after hearing it like this.'
In the end, I laughed too.
"It's embarrassing to hear your explanations every time when I wasn't able to explain it properly. Thank you."
"I's okay."
Ryu Chungwoo grinned, but soon his expression changed as if he remembered something.
"Well, come to think of it, that wasn't the end."
"What?"
What else was there?
"Actually… I even heard it myself unintentionally."
Ryu Chungwoo looked a little embarrassed.
"When I went out to talk on the phone at a restaurant earlier, I was standing outside the door trying to get some timing before I came in… …"
Wait a minute.
"… So, by any chance."
"Yes. He called you hyung very naturally."
Did he confirm it there?
After all, a sad hunch wasn't wrong. I understood.
I felt a pull in the back of my neck at the situation I was concerned about, but I was soon relieved.
'Anyway, it worked out well.'
It was like a blessing in disguisel. I looked at Ryu Chungwoo all of a sudden.
And I spoke abruptly.
"I look forward to your continued support in the future."
"Haha, please take good care of me."
I suddenly created an assistant who I didn't have to hide my identity around.
And not long after, the door bursted open and another guy came in.
"Everyone~ The choreography is here~"
It was practice time again.
"Is that so? Wait a moment."
Ryu Chungwoo immediately stood up and spoke to me as if he was adding something.
"Let's come back and continue talking about that KPOP record."
"Yes."
I was thinking that I could think about it alone, but I had to talk steadily unless I was going to act alone anyway.
So I nodded my head obediently, but the response came from the other guy after Ryu Chungwoo left.
It was Keun Sejin.
"Moondaemoondae, what's the KPOP record?"
"We were debating what our next goal would be."
Wasn't it an obvious productive idea to do with the leader?
"Oh~ You seem to have become much more comfortable with Chungwoo hyung after you became roommates, Moondae?"
Keun Sejin smiled. Then he deliberately pretended to cry.
"Heukheuk, only the two of you were going out to play earlier, so Sejin feels so alienated…"
How did this quick-witted bastard know we secretly went out?
"You were on the phone with the entertainment MC at the time, what?"
"Ah, when our main vocalist and best friend Moondae, called, I immediately hung up and ran~"
He didn't even put saliva on his mouth and spoke naturally.
I was about to hit him on the back, but hesitated at a thought that came to my mind.
'… Come to think of it, I said I would tell him if I could tell him about my situation.'
… Ryu Chungwoo already caught me first.
"… …"
"Moondae?"
After all, should I voluntarily explain to this guy?
But this… I didn't get caught, so I didn't know if it was okay to say it openly. Was the risk too great?
Even if I said it myself and failed to persuade him, it didn't mean I could restart again.
In addition, as soon as I opened up, he would have to hear everything about what was going on.
If I thought about explaining it all to a punk who didn't even know what a status window was, I was worried that he wouldn't believe it.
I was silent for a moment, but then I held back a sigh and opened my mouth.
"… Then, when the time is right, let's go out by ourselves."
Still, if I got a chance, I'd have to give it a shot. What only Ryu Chungwoo knew and what this guy didn't know, the moment I made a mistake later, the picture would become strange.
"… ! Moondae finally wants to get out of the house! Good, good~ I got to witness it!"
No, punk.
Keun Sejin chuckled and patted my back, but I silently went out the front door with the members.
'I have more work to do…'
How to explain this unreal situation to that guy.
'Let's slowly decide on this.'
I put that thought aside and brought back the original worry.
'So, in order to break a KPOP record, which is the mission goal, even easier…'
1. Pioneering new markets
2. Subdivision of new evaluation items
It was organized like this.
Then, even if the items were subdivided, the market was large enough to look authoritative, and public awareness was good, and there was still a pie left to eat…
I unconsciously spit out an expected answer.
"America."
"Are we going to America?"
"No."
It was just a group of candidates.
"Boo…"
Cha Eugene, who reacted like lightning, walked past me and got into the car with his shoulders drooping. Still, there was no difference.
'It's not just one or two cases of failure after entering the US.'
There were other things that needed to be prioritized.
'From the analysis.'
Starting from which market the TeStar would have an advantage in, the data value was extracted, and a method was established and entered.
I would never do anything to ram my head into the United States.
And to do that… I needed to be able to manage my plans and activities as much as I wanted.
I cracked my neck.
'It's about time.'
And I remembered the contents of the contract I had renewed with the general manager.
-If TeStar wins the grand prize at the annual awards ceremony during the following year, we fully support TeStar's establishment of a new independent label.
Here, the subject had already been burned.
So, the time had come to create an independent label for TeStar.