Become A Music Monster Overnight! [EN]: Chapter 85

Music Monster Overnight! Episode 76

Of course, these contracts weren’t solely due to the zombie airport incident.

A crucial opportunity arose, and that was Black Tiger’s scheduled appearance on the fourth day in the United States.

-The Kane Show-

They were booked to appear on this show.

This program, hosted by Kane, originated from a local R broadcasting station.

Typically, such shows are imitations of famous programs, with only a local audience.

But the Kane Show was different.

Kane was not only a skilled host but also had a knack for promoting his guests.

He recognized the potential of social media early on.

Consequently, guests on his show often experienced a surge in popularity, attracting major advertisers eager to appear.

Eventually, the Kane Show became R broadcasting station’s flagship program.

Currently, it’s jointly broadcast with F broadcasting station, one of the four major networks, but this arrangement is set to change next year.

Kane’s contract with R broadcasting station is expiring, meaning the Kane Show could independently contract with any of the four major networks. With such a significant contract on the horizon, Kane was dedicating himself to making the Kane Show even more successful to increase his market value.

“YC Entertainment? A band? From Japan?”

“No. They’re from Korea, a country next to Japan.”

“Ah! The place where the Korean War happened. But a band from there is famous? Isn’t that a very poor country? I thought it was a communist dictatorship?”

“Well, that’s North Korea. South Korea has the 13th largest economy in the world, and S Corporation, a major advertising firm, is based there.”

“Hoo?”

Kane finally showed interest.

He might not have grasped the full implications of being the 13th largest economy, but he understood that S Corporation’s involvement meant it was a significant country.

“So, they’ve offered to appear on the show?”

Actually, the employee who confirmed the offer was recommending Black Tiger to Kane. A successful recommendation meant a substantial bonus and a chance to advance his career alongside Kane.

“Are you familiar with the Ice Bucket Challenge?”

“Hmm, I think I’ve heard of it. An actor who was recently on the show mentioned it.”

“Then it’s easy to explain. The band behind the Ice Bucket Challenge is from YC Entertainment. They’re called Black Tiger, and they launched a campaign to donate the proceeds from their first full-length album’s title song, ‘brilliant struggle,’ to cancer patients.”

“Hmm.”

The band’s donation pledge didn’t surprise Kane. Many singers organize similar events.

Most are indie artists, but Kane, having come from humble beginnings himself, had seen plenty of similar promotions.

The employee, momentarily taken aback by Kane’s reaction, quickly presented a tablet.

“This is the music video for ‘brilliant struggle.’ Could you spare a minute to watch it?”

“…Okay.”

Kane glanced at his watch, indicating he would only watch for a minute, and started the video.

“Kane… Kane!”

“Ah…”

Kane snapped back to reality when the employee woke him.

He checked his watch and was shocked to see that fifteen minutes had passed.

Fourteen minutes over the agreed time.

But Kane wasn’t surprised by what had happened.

The music video for ‘brilliant struggle’ was captivating.

After regaining his composure, he looked at the employee, who was watching him expectantly, and asked, feigning annoyance.

“Who’s the guy in the black hat in the ‘brilliant struggle’ music video?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you know? The band is good, but this guy is on another level. I want him on my show. Do you know who he is?”

It was a question that implied the employee should know the answer.

The employee, looking fearful and confused, replied.

“Ah, I know. Isn’t he the band’s vocalist?”

“What! A singer? Not an actor!”

“An actor? As far as I know, he’s never worked as an actor.”

“…”

Kane seemed shocked that his intuition was wrong.

The acting in the ten-minute music video was on par with Hollywood’s finest.

To convincingly portray a transcendent being without uttering a single line required exceptional talent.

Such acting transcended national and racial boundaries.

“Accept their offer.”

“Ah! Understood. I’ve compiled detailed data here.”

The employee, barely suppressing a triumphant grin, handed over a USB drive.

The more Kane learned about Black Tiger from the USB, the more impressed he became.

He belatedly realized the brilliance of ‘brilliant struggle,’ which he had initially overlooked due to the captivating music video.

‘Where did this incredible band come from!’

Not only was ‘brilliant struggle’ outstanding, but all their previous albums and this full-length album were on par with legendary albums of the past.

Considering that most of the lyrics were in Korean and they were relatively unknown in the US market, their musicality was even more remarkable.

Kane also admired YC Entertainment.

“And a company that is as good as this monster-like band.”

As someone with a talent for promotion, he recognized that YC Entertainment had orchestrated the Ice Bucket Challenge.

‘I don’t know who came up with this idea, but they’re a genius.’

It could be seen as a coincidence, but Kane doubted it.

The Ice Bucket Challenge’s widespread impact, based on the employee’s data, was too significant to be accidental.

“It would be stranger if they didn’t become famous!”

Knowing that they were a band capable of shaking up the Billboard charts, Kane eagerly anticipated meeting them.

He dedicated himself to preparing the Black Tiger episode, utilizing all available resources.

Fortunately, Kane, who held considerable influence due to his expiring contract, had his request approved with enthusiasm.

This Kane Show would be different from previous episodes.

Instead of a pre-recorded format, it would be broadcast live.

Live broadcasting offered the advantage of conveying a sense of immediacy to viewers but also carried significant risks.

Even for a veteran like Kane, this was a considerable undertaking.

But Kane confidently proceeded with the live broadcast.

“Today, we have a very special guest. Is everyone familiar with the Ice Bucket Challenge?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the audience of over a thousand people responded affirmatively. All of them had participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Of course, they knew who the guest would be.

Encouraged by their excitement, Kane laughed heartily and continued.

“Hahaha! No need for further introductions. Let’s get straight to it. Let me introduce you. The band behind ‘brilliant struggle’ for the Ice Bucket Challenge. Black Tiger!”

As soon as he finished, the stage, concealed by a massive curtain, began to reveal itself.

-Swoosh!

-Waaaaah!

The audience’s cheers grew louder as the curtain rose.

When Black Tiger was fully revealed, the audience fell silent.

They were momentarily captivated by Young-chan, who was positioned in the center of the huge electronic display.

Everyone knew about Young-chan’s airport zombie incident, but no one was naive enough to believe it entirely.

They had been deceived by CG and editing technology too many times.

But Young-chan exuded an aura that dispelled all doubts.

The silence was broken when Young-chan introduced himself.

“Hello? I’m YC, the vocalist of Black Tiger.”

-Waaaaah!

The security guards had to be on high alert as the specially prepared stage shook from the cheers.

The audience’s excitement soon materialized.

The ‘brilliant struggle’ performance, which began immediately after Black Tiger’s introduction, was so intense and captivating that even the security guards were mesmerized.

-Jijijijijing!

The nearly two-minute guitar solo resonated with the audience.

-Kkeuaaaaaak!

-Damn’it-

-Oh MY GOD!-

Their hearts raced as some looked to the heavens.

‘brilliant struggle’ sounded great through earphones, but band music truly shines when experienced live.

Kane was also thrilled.

Black Tiger’s performance, far exceeding the rehearsal, impressed even him.

Young-chan, whose acting skills had initially made Kane question why he wasn’t an actor, proved his star power on stage.

While Kane still found it hard to believe he wasn’t an actor, Young-chan’s stage presence was undeniable.

“Hahahaha!”

Young-chan laughed, acknowledging the cheering audience, and transitioned to the next song.

It was their mini-album title track and a song that best represented Black Tiger’s identity, ‘The old man never dies.(90’S)’.

“Ah~ I’m back. Just like always!”

This time, it was the English version.

Unlike East Asia, where English and subtitles are common, the West, especially the United States, has a different culture.

While they might release Korean versions after gaining fame, it was crucial to make an effort to connect with the audience now.

In fact, English versions of their songs were scheduled to be uploaded immediately after the broadcast.

‘The uncles are really giving it their all today!’

Young-chan was pleased with the band’s energetic performance.

Thanks to this, ‘The old man never dies.(90’S)’, introduced as ‘The old man never dies. (90’S)’, received tremendous praise.

After The Followers’ and Black Tiger’s performances, Young-chan had a brief talk show with Kane.

The Kane Show essentially became a live concert by Black Tiger.

Black Tiger performed nine songs that day.

As the 100-minute Kane Show concluded, Black Tiger’s popularity soared.

Centered on YC, a vocalist with unprecedented charisma, their music resonated with the American audience.

The already popular Ice Bucket Challenge gained further momentum with Black Tiger’s involvement.

This created a positive feedback loop, further boosting Black Tiger’s recognition.

Eventually, about a week after arriving in the United States.

‘brilliant struggle’ entered the Billboard 100.