Chapter 423
Kim Raebin opened his mouth with a nervous face.
"To sum up, when our live performance is broadcast, demand is expected to increase due to the promotional effect, so the company plans to launch a kind of encore tour accordingly. Is it true that they are planning additional concerts?"
"Yes."
"But all of this is planned, to somehow make it acceptable for us to go on tour further without opposition… Is it a scheme?"
"It's similar."
It wasn't a scheme, it was just a trick to please people.
Kim Raebin then looked vain, as if he had realized that his company was a global drug smuggling organization.
Anyway, I understood.
"Wouldn't fans be suspicious too? If we don't keep releasing albums like this."
"Even if fans are suspicious, public opinion won't be formed because they don't know much."
In fact, I thought there was a high probability that even fans who enjoyed the content lightly wouldn't even think about it that far.
Just looking at TeSTAR, it made no sense in terms of market economics not to release an album. They would just be wondering if we were late because we were filling the album with our songs.
"It's not because we have a lot of experience, nor because our last album's performance was bad."
"… I see. If we count ourselves, it's only been four years."
In fact, objectively, TeSTAR has just received the grand prize and was in the beginning of its prime, becoming a first-tier idol in name and reality.
Keun Sejin smiled bitterly.
"But it's a 5-year contract, not a 7-year contract, so there's nothing we can do about it."
That was correct.
The problem was that abnormal 5-year contract, and…
'The point is that it's an agency affiliated with a broadcasting station that can endlessly produce new groups with considerable reputation through survival programs.'
We created a label to prevent them from taking away planning staff, but everyone was sighing when they didn't schedule activities.
"Still, it's a bit awkward to tour like this haphazardly."
"I love to perform! But we can't lose. We are now boycotting the tour."
"Isn't the boycott a bit strange from the perspective of the person doing it? It's still our company."
"Well, if we're saying we won't do it because we don't want to… Isn't it similar… ?"
They were protesting that we shouldn't go on tour.
I touched my chin and predicted a future where that would become a reality.
[Famous male idol group… "There will be no concert." Riot in the conference room]
-Who is it?
-It's just the beginning
-Is this nonsense trustworthy?
"Because we are uncooperative, they'll think we have a low intention to renew the contract, so they'll try to beat us up in the media to lower the price."
"…"
Bae Sejin's expression became odd as if a bad memory had passed through him.
"I know it well."
Yes. At the beginning of our debut, he looked at the case of his former agency and found some information. It was because those bastards were a bit special, so they also did a few bad things.
Anyway, we decided to wait for the right time rather than refuse to do a live concert on the airwaves.
"Preparations for the album are continuing."
"Okay."
And as expected, at some point the broadcast changed to distributing part of the setlist to guest groups instead of our full concert.
"These guys are really…"
"As expected, Moondae is good at guessing~"
In addition, it was assigned in a clever style. Instead of calling it an "agency concert" like last time, they called it a "special appearance of juniors from the same agency".
They just had to make it clear that it would be TeSTAR performing too.
'I guess they want to use the whole TeSTAR topic.'
Of course, anyone would be annoyed by the situation. It was hard to deny it.
Since there were people with a stake in the concert, such as broadcasting stations, management companies, and investment companies, if we dragged it out over copyright issues, we would only accumulate an angry image without any benefits.
'We have to aim for one shot.'
Before that, I needed to humble myself a bit and act like I didn't really know the full picture of how things were going.
"Let's practice."
"Of course. Now, let's all adjust the angles of our feet again."
And once we were refining the concert stage for broadcast… I received a phone call from a company representative that I wasn't expecting.
It was from a hoobaenim.
But it wasn't Spacer.
-Hello, sunbaenim!
Mirynay's Park Minha, the idol who came in second place on
The purpose was to 'inquire about the supplementary stage', but when I actually answered the phone, she said something else.
-I…
"Yes."
-Sunbaenim, uh, I have something to tell you. No, first of all, I'm sorry for taking up your time. Is that okay?... … ?!
"Yes."
But why was she so embarrassed again?
"I don't think it's a waste of time, just get to the point."
-… ! Yes, it's no different…
The Mirynay member got straight to the point.
-Is… Is there any way to move other groups in the company to your label?
"… !"
She called it 'another group', but in reality, there was only one group that a hoobaenim like her would ask about.
Themselves.
"Are you talking about Mirynay?"
-… Um, yes. Including us. Since we're basically in the same company, I was wondering if there was a way to change the affiliation even if the ratios and such remained the same…
I see.
'But she should ask the label representative, why is she asking me?'
"You could just put in conditions when renewing the contract. But isn't Mirynay's contract renewal still more than a year or two away?"
-Ah. Hmm.
The voice lowered slightly and hesitated.
'Hmm.'
By any chance…?
I deliberately asked this out loud.
"Is there another problem now?"
-That's actually…
She took a deep breath.
-Our album… I think there will be a lot of pushback.
"…"
-Many of our staff members have recently moved out due to personnel reshuffle.
Yes.
"They didn't quit the company, but they went to another team."
-… … Yes.
I got the idea. But our case here was slightly different.
-There is a new group that will debut under this agency this time. Those who debuted on the program.
"Ah."
What she was talking about was Tnet's new survival program that just ended. The broadcasting station couldn't give up the idol survival taste.
Although it didn't have the same impact and buzz as
And from what I saw on the internet…
[A survival program where the final debut group is said to be the best hope ever]
As soon as the debut group list was published, I saw an article saying that the number of people interested had increased significantly.
A new group that didn't have a bad image like
And where did the manpower come from?
They ripped off people who worked in the same field.
-The people we worked with went that way… The production of the album was currently in progress but has stopped.
So, this was not a question of the contract renewal period at all.
This meant that as an attractive new business item emerged, even the existing planning personnel were hired and assigned to it.
Since there was no separation of labels here, it was difficult for singers to defend themselves even if they took it all the way. They were company personnel from the beginning.
Then…
'I think they probably talked about adding a tour as well.'
Among the guests included in our concert, Mirynay was definitely one.
Here too, they would talk about the promotional effects, set up a tour, and save time and money until they hired new planning staff. Because they were a group with a good overseas fan base.
Even if it was obvious, they wouldn't tell anyone in advance.
There probably weren't that many idols who would welcome the fact that they'd be on tour all year long.
Anyway, Mirynay's Rank 2 continued speaking quite calmly.
-If it's an independent label, there are separate employees, so I thought things might be a little different from ours… I was going to ask you what it was like.
It wa" an honest answer without a half-hearted laugh. It looked like she took the situation quite seriously.
'I think she guessed that we were in a similar situation.'
Still, no matter how similar our situations may be, she would have been reluctant to say this to a sunbaenim from another group.
'I recognize her guts.'
Still, there was no way for her to change affiliations now. Even if I knew, I wouldn't say anything.
"Even if it is independent, it is ultimately a subsidiary, so there's nothing special about it. And what you're saying now is… Actually, I'm not sure because I'm not an employee with that kind of authority."
-… Ah, yes! I'm sorry. I told you this too suddenly!
But before that, a rather nice idea occurred to me.
After listening to this case, one thing became clear.
'In the end, the company turns its attention to new projects that seem promising.'
"…"
Hmm, it was worth thinking about.
Let's make some ground assumptions first.
-I should have put my thoughts together before contacting you, but I made a mistake in my first greeting and showed a bad side of myself. I will be more careful from now on!
"It's okay."
Anyone who saw me would think I was her boss. I held back a sigh and started laying the ground work.
"And about the album."
-… Yes.
"Now that I think about it, I don't think there are any ways to make a profit if you don't transfer to a label."
-… … !
"Are you willing to cooperate? I can't guarantee that it won't be dangerous at all."
There was a short silence on the other end of the phone, and then a question was asked.
-What kind of danger is it?
In fact, this meant that she was willing to do it if possible.
I laughed and opened my mouth.
"The risk of the agency disappearing."
-… ?!
• * *
"So the TeSTAR side has been sorted out?"
"Yes. We will proceed as is without any other special issues."
T1 Stars' largest conference room.
Working-level staff attended the general meeting on Monday morning and talked busily.
To be precise, it was the time when directors nodded their heads every time they said something, gave plausible answers, and expected time to pass quickly.
"As much as possible, we need to secure a time slot. Right?"
"Yes, yes…"
This week's topic was a story about the planning of version 2 of the entertainment company's concert under the guise of a TeSTAR concert, which would be broadcast over the airwaves.
And the talk about hiring came and went for a moment, but…
A public relations employee, who had bright eyes with many years of experience but seemed to be going crazy from boredom, suddenly had a thought.
'Now that I think about it, why is this being done on public broadcasting instead of Tnet?'
They always used it to their full advantage in the past.
The employee became more puzzled because he couldn't think of a suitable answer, but he quickly erased it.
What did he know? All he had to do was get his salary and that was enough.
"Thank you for your hard work~"
"Everyone, let's pay more attention this week, please."
If he quietly left the conference room without being noticed, hearing what he heard every time, then he could walk down the hallway with people of similar rank and get to know them.
"So, now Spacer is riding the on the line?"
"I guess so?"
Gossip about promotions and conflicts between departments and teams.
"There's been a lot of talk about the label being promoted by T1, but honestly, I don't know what will happen…"
"Ah, but the people at Orbit always seem relaxed."
"That's right! Honestly, isn't it obvious how the work environment is over there? Normally, people would want to die at all costs~"
Every time they met people from 'Orbit', commonly known as TeSTAR's label, the staff's mouths became busy as they remembered how their facial expressions were nice and relaxed.
'Planning is fun', 'autonomy is high', 'I heard the artist has a good personality', and more.
There were stories of typical good workplaces, but there were also evil worries that one's career would sink if one became stuck there.
Perhaps it was because the way the company was run right now was complicated.
'You don't know who will rise and what will fail.'
Wouldn't it be the same to push a new group instead of TeSTAR, who was starting to do well now?
Ah, the entertainment business!
Even when the employee sat down, he continued to talk about it over social media.
-That bastard looks happy too todayㅡㅡ
-I hate it ㅋㅋ
This was what they texted when the head of the management office passed by.
That guy, who had established himself through the number of cases related to TeSTAR's dedicated team, still had on a nice face.
The employee thought indifferently.
Maybe TeSTAR is like that too?
'Yeah well, they made a lot of money… They say tour settlement money is no joke.'
He thought it might be better if they made a comeback a little later. It was said that if they went on tour, employees could go out on weekdays when there were no performances.
'Whatever it is, I'm sure they're all better off than me.'
So, let's just do the work he got paid for. Just as much as he got paid!
The staff once again checked and refined Spacer's materials for press distribution.
At that time, a director suddenly received an urgent oral report and immediately called for an emergency meeting in a state of excitement, without even realizing it.
And no matter how all the uncertainties played out, the 'TeSTAR Concert' plan was successfully realized and the broadcast date began to steadily approach.