The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 111

# 11 Show and Prove

I have my own problems, but what am I doing right now?

Halo crossed his arms and stared at the notebook.

On the notebook, there was a pile of business cards he had recently received. Each one was wrinkled.

Halo tapped the desk. The number of business cards didn’t register. In his head, the notebook’s strange beat was repeating, as if trying to solve the riddle tangled in the beat.

‘But this isn’t New York, so how can rap be popular here?’

It originated in Harlem, New York.

Halo tilted his head and picked up his phone to search.

[Rap]

With ‘movement,’ numerous visual materials unfolded.

The most prominent of these was the image at the top.

A stage lit by spotlights.

A flashy poster with a musician holding a microphone in the center.

Written in gold letters:

[Show Your Show 3]

#

“You really think it’s that bad?”

Jang Jin-soo stared at his recorded song with a serious face. He never thought his song was perfect, but he didn’t expect to be told to delete it, let alone receive such harsh criticism.

The *hyungs* [older male friends/mentors] said I could pass the preliminaries.

Only two days left until the submission date.

Realistically, he should submit it, but Noh Halo’s harsh criticism kept bothering him.

He originally tried to ignore both good and bad reviews.

*What’s with that bastard’s opinion?*

He couldn’t sleep because he was bothered.

Maybe Noh Halo only listens to pop songs and doesn’t know much about hip hop? He thought.
Besides, music is a matter of personal preference.

*It’s just that his taste doesn’t match.*

“That must be it···.”

He can’t re-record it now.

As per the submission requirements, he made two videos: one within 1 minute and another with the MR [music recorded without vocals] removed.

If the beat changes, he has to change the lyrics and re-shoot the video. It was definitely impossible.

Then his passion whispered.

‘Is that the best you can do?’

It is the best. He did his best to make this song.

‘What about your friend’s feedback?’

“Damn it! It’s a matter of preference.”

Jang Jin-soo shouted and jumped up from his seat. In the end, he couldn’t press the submit button. He threw on a padded jacket and left the room. He frowned at the soju [Korean rice wine] bottles rolling around in the living room and the smell of stale cigarettes.

*I hope this guy didn’t invest in Bitcoin again?* He had a bad feeling.

Eventually, he got on the subway. He sniffed himself to see if he smelled like cigarettes. He wasn’t sure. His nose was very insensitive.

Jang Jin-soo arrived at the *hyungs’* hideout.

Kim Deok-soo, the unemployed *hyung*, was lying on the sofa-cum-bed, reading a comic book.

“Did you submit it?”

“No.”

“Why? Isn’t the submission date soon?”

“I’m going to submit it soon.”

“…Did something bad happen today?”

At Kim Deok-soo’s words, Jang Jin-soo stopped.

He didn’t know if he should tell him.

But the desire to complain to someone was greater.

“No, well, it’s about my friend, not me.”

“Okay.”

Kim Deok-soo raised the corners of his mouth and put down the comic book.

“My friend made a song for homework.

He worked really hard on it, but someone listened to it and said it was bad from beginning to end. They told him to just make it again.”

“Hmm.”

“But the homework submission date isn’t far off, and he doesn’t want to make it again just by listening to one person. But he can’t ignore it either. What would *hyung* do in that case?”

“So, your friend is going on ‘Show You’?”

“No, I’m not.”

*He sees through everything.*

Jang Jin-soo was about to say that he wasn’t talking about himself, but he saw Kim Deok-soo smiling like a Hahoe mask [traditional Korean mask with a distinct smile].

He wouldn’t believe him even if he said no.

“But it’s a difficult problem. Who criticized it is the most important thing.”

“Just anyone.”

“If it was just anyone, I would usually ignore it. Is there a definite reason why you can’t ignore it?”

Thinking about it, it’s strange.

He admits that Noh Halo definitely has something special. He sings really well, plays the guitar well, yeah, something is different. But he didn’t show any outstanding ability in composing.

But the reason he can’t ignore it is…

‘Who knows? I might listen.’

That confidence, from who knows where.

The unfamiliar face he saw for a moment, the gestures as relaxed as an adult, seemed to have something.

“It’s a bit ambiguous.”

“Well, then it’s simple.”

Kim Deok-soo, unaware of his complicated feelings, said simply.

“Tell him to show you once.”

“Huh?”

“Just criticizing is a bit irresponsible, isn’t it? Because you lack trust in his words, tell him to show you his ability once. We have a saying in our world.”

Kim Deok-soo picked up the comic book again.

A comic book with nine cute female characters drawn on it. ‘Love Live! Girls’ Sunshine!’ was written in large letters.

“Show and prove.”

#

“Hey, Noh Halo.”

A call came.

A yellow screen appeared, and he wondered what it was, but he saw a familiar name. The curt voice was definitely Jang Jin-soo, sulking after hearing objective feedback.

“You said it was trash, so I should make it again?”

“I didn’t say it was trash. But yeah, basically.”

Rather than trash, it was like a flimsy sandcastle made by children or a drawing drawn with feet.

“But I can’t.”

He thought so.

He had a terrified look on his face.

He didn’t seem to have any intention of making a new one at all.

“I don’t even know if my song is bad.”

That can happen.

Most people find it difficult to maintain objectivity about their own music. Of course, that’s the story of everyone else except him.

“It’s a beat I worked really hard on. There’s something I want to talk about, but I don’t know how to convey it well. But do you even know how to make beats?”

His voice rose as he spoke, caught up in emotion and then pissed off.

“So I can trust your words. Prove it once. That your words are right.”

“Prove?”

“Y-yeah. Prove yourself.”

“Ha.”

Halo raised the corners of his mouth without realizing it.

He wondered what he was going to say.

*This cocky bastard. Telling me to prove myself?*

He heard the words ‘prove it’ for the first time in his life.

Because he was already known to the world. Even if someone criticized his music, they didn’t tell him to prove it. Who could tell him to prove it?

The complicated head cooled down, and the fighting spirit flared up.

As expected, he’s not suited for complicated things.

He accepted the clumsy provocation.

“Th-there’s a saying, show and prove!”

Halo hung up the phone without answering and got up from his seat.

Rap. A form of music he has never touched before. It can be said to be a difficult problem.

But, did he know everything else well and make it?

As he said once, Halo had never formally learned music. A black and white television, a drunkard on the street, a singer working at a bar, and old records just showed him that these things exist.

Would rap be that different?

He was called limitless when it came to music.

#

“Weren’t you angry?”

Hongdae [area in Seoul known for its indie music scene], after riding the subway for over an hour.

When he opened the basement hideout, Jang Jin-soo and Kim Deok-soo were startled.

Halo put down his guitar without paying attention.

“Sing it once.”

“Suddenly? What?”

It’s frustrating that Jang Jin-soo can’t understand in one word, but it’s not new anymore. There’s no reason to be disappointed because he doesn’t expect anything.

“Let me see your basics.”

“Ah. Then say it like that. But what should I sing?”

He doesn’t have the basics. Halo clicked his tongue once.

“Do it live.”

“Live? You heard the recording.”

“Can you sing it the same way?”

“No.”

Jang Jin-soo said naturally.

Then he looked around and looked for the MR.

If Jang Jin-soo hadn’t let him hear the rap, he wouldn’t have imagined that he would rap. As much as he knows the kids who used to rap in Harlem, New York. There must have been changes as much as the long time has passed.

“Ah, ah.”

Kim Deok-soo quickly played the beat.

It was a strange beat even after listening to it again.

Halo crossed his arms this time without saying anything.

The good thing is that Jang Jin-soo didn’t show that flustered look while rapping at least.

It wasn’t professional, but it was better because he wasn’t trembling with tension.

The most grotesque first verse was removed, and the second verse followed quickly.

Jang Jin-soo’s rap, forcibly riding the fast beat, was, as expected, tiring and anxious for the listener.

*Is there a reason to pour it out so quickly that you can’t even follow it?* Just when he thought that, the pronunciation became garbled.

‘First of all, the rhythm is like that.’

The second problem is that there is no highlight in the music. In terms of rap, a punch line? Or a hook.

I know he has a lot to say, but it seems like he needs to be organized once. He lists the raps he heard on the subway, specifically recent hip-hop music, and chooses the song that best suits Jang Jin-soo.

Soon the beat ended.

Jang Jin-soo waited for Halo’s feedback with a dumbfounded expression again.

“H-how is it?”

This time, he closed his eyes tightly as if he was willing to accept even harsh criticism.

Unfortunately, Halo did not meet Jang Jin-soo’s expectations. He didn’t have a hobby of repeating what he said.

Also, there are a few things to check before making a song.

“Let’s check your vocal range.”

“Why suddenly my vocal range? Why do you need a vocal range to rap?”

The moment Halo’s eyebrows twitched, fortunately, an answer came from somewhere else.

“Jin-soo’s vocal range is average.”

“Ah, *hyung*.”

“You become a pterodactyl even if it gets a little higher, kekeke [onomatopoeia for laughter].”

Jang Jin-soo glared at Kim Deok-soo, who was burying his head in the comic book and making fun of him, then shook his head with a wronged face.

“I’m not that bad. Should we test it once?”

“It’s okay.”

What to look for in an audition is the basics and individual personality. It would be nice if he could sing well, but from what he heard, it doesn’t seem like he has a wide vocal range or great technique. He’ll know better later when he matches it.

Halo focused on the fact that what Jang Jin-soo wants to show is rap. If he puts in even the sounds of complicated vocal ranges, the song will only become cluttered unless he has considerable skills.

Besides, the hip-hop songs of ‘Show You’ that he heard while coming here are made up of hooks that anyone can listen to and sing along to.

Well, difficult songs can’t be the only masterpieces.

“But do you even know what hip hop is?”

“I listened to it on the way here. Roughly.”

“‘On the way’?”

Due to time constraints, he couldn’t listen to much, but he listened to all the sound sources of [show your show] that Jang Jin-soo is going to participate in.

He’s not very positive about auditions, but he roughly knew what the concept was.

“But it doesn’t necessarily only have rap.”

Jang Jin-soo quickly retorted at Halo’s words.

“The main purpose is to show ‘your own show.’ Regardless of ballad, rock, or dance.”

After saying that, Jang Jin-soo hurriedly added as if he had thought of something.

“Ah, but you have to do it with your own song. Pop songs will be difficult.”

He doesn’t even plan to participate, but he’s being wary.

Seeing the purely revealed intention, Jang Jin-soo’s face turned red as if asking what to do.

He seemed to know he was embarrassed too.

“By the way, when are you going to do the prove? You said you’d make a beat.”

“I already did it.”

“What···. What do you mean? What did you do? Did you bring a beat?”

“Not really.”

“You already did it? I want to see it too!”

He needs to touch it up a bit after picking the song, but that’s later.

“But there’s a problem.”

“What problem?”

Halo crossed his arms.

He made all the songs, but he faced the most realistic problem.

“Now we need to find a session man.”

It’s all similar problems. He needs an instrument to play the song, and he needs a session man to be that instrument. He can compose, but he doesn’t have the ability to create a session man.

He was having trouble finding a session man for his music, but he didn’t have the ability to solve Jang Jin-soo’s problem.

Of course, he in his current state.

Jang Jin-soo tilted his head at Halo’s words.

“Why do you need a session man?”

“Because I need a session.”

“I mean. Why do you need a session? You can do it with MIDI.”

“?”

He says it as if it’s simple.

Halo thought MIDI meant a manpower agency that could find session men.

“What’s MIDI?”

Jang Jin-soo said as if it was obvious.

“Digital composing program. It has most of the virtual instruments there.”