The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 222

< Verse 34. Reminiscence >

***

December 2006.

Sanghyun and Junhyung finished their final exams, marking the end of their high school days.

Though neither Junhyung nor Sanghyun planned to attend the practical music department of a music college, they still made study plans and put in effort for their last exams.

The fact that they had plenty of time due to the break after 888 Show Vol.2 also played a part.

‘I never dreamed I’d graduate from an arts high school.’

Back when he regressed, he thought he would study hard at Unsan High School to earn money faster and in greater amounts, but as always, you never know what might happen in life.

However, he doesn’t regret or hesitate.

Life is only once, a reality show without any NGs [no-goods, meaning mistakes or retakes] or edits, so there’s no time to regret or hesitate.

Just like Caliph said in his one and only life.

***

2007 dawned.

Sanghyun and Junhyung became legal adults at the age of 20, and Hayeon, being a fast-year student [Korean age system where those born in January or February are considered the same age as those born the previous year], also finally turned 20.

‘Finally, it’s 2007.’

2007 holds a special significance in Korean hip-hop.

It was the year when many rappers who would dominate Korean hip-hop until the late 2010s emerged. It was also the year when rappers who had already debuted but hadn’t received much attention started to gain recognition.

It was the year Swings appeared, and Verbal Jint released , the prelude to the eternal Korean hip-hop classic .

It was the year E-Sens released the mixtape Blanky Munn’s Unknown Verses, and Simon Dominic released his debut single Lonely Night, forming Supreme Team.

In addition, it was a year when countless rappers appeared, and the underground hip-hop scene expanded enormously in both quantity and quality. It was also originally in 2007 that Caliph gained attention.

Of course, it wasn’t all good news.

It was also the year when commercial capital intervened in underground hip-hop, marking the end of the golden era of Korean hip-hop that had begun in 2004-05.

Sanghyun often felt that the timing of his regression to 2005 was perfect.

If he had regressed before 2003 or 2004, he wouldn’t have even had the chance to make music without interruption. Of course, he would have established himself and made a name for himself in his own way, but the soil of the hip-hop scene itself was not fertile at that time.

Without a proper concert hall in Gwangju, the L&S8 concert, the Club Homie concert, the Mudeung Stadium concert, and Hip-Hop the Vibe 2 would all have been impossible.

Conversely, if he had regressed after 2006 or 2007, the amount of ‘attention’ he could receive would have been smaller.

It would have been less so in 2006, but in 2007, countless hot rookies appeared. 888 Crew would also have been positioned as one of those hot rookies, and they wouldn’t have been able to jump to a unique position, being compared to Stars Records right away as they are now.

888 Crew appeared at the perfect time in 2005.

Thanks to that, the quantitative and qualitative expansion of the Korean hip-hop scene started in 2005.

The Korean hip-hop scene in the upcoming 2007 would experience growth that couldn’t even be compared to the 2007 of the past.

But within that, Sanghyun’s figure could not be found.

***

“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”

Tae Jiwoong, the head of the legal team at Ohkyung Group, grabbed his head.

The issue between Koch Records (or rather, Entertainment One) and Ohkyung Media was finally resolved smoothly.

It was a conclusion that could be described as ‘smooth’ because Sanghyun and Koch Records didn’t desperately pursue it, but it was by no means a good outcome from the perspective of a greedy conglomerate.

The financial issue was a problem, but that wasn’t all.

Ohkyung Media revealed the contract terms with Lee Sanghyun, losing the good image of ‘respecting and nurturing indie labels’ that they had gained.

Instead, they gained the titles of ‘composer exploitation,’ ‘loss of copyright consciousness,’ and ‘international disgrace.’

Frankly, the financial loss wasn’t the problem. The profit gained from stealing Sanghyun’s song was like a ‘rock on the map’ when compared to the overall sales of Ohkyung Group – insignificant.

The bigger problem was that the value of Ohkyung Media, the subsidiary meant for image-making for Ohkyung Group, was damaged.

Tae Jiwoong was a realistic person, so he knew that Lee Sanghyun had made quite a few concessions to Ohkyung Media.

It was outwardly portrayed that Vice President Oh Yeonjoo had skillfully handled the situation, but looking at the circumstances of the case, Oh Yeonjoo and Lee Sanghyun must have been on the same team.

If Koch Records had been determined to pursue it, it wouldn’t have ended like this.

‘But the group wouldn’t know about Lee Sanghyun’s consideration, would they? No, even if they knew, they wouldn’t care. Because they suffered damage.’

Now, Lee Sanghyun can’t easily make music in Korea.

In the future, Ohkyung Group will keep a close eye on Lee Sanghyun with a stern look, and even if they don’t directly pressure him, it will be a huge deterrent. Of course, if a natural deterrent doesn’t arise, they will not hesitate to apply direct pressure.

So, unless he becomes a giant like Michael Jackson or The Beatles, surpassing the framework of the national market, Lee Sanghyun’s life as a musician is over.

Or he’ll be struggling in the real underground without any stairs to climb up.

‘But I don’t think Lee Sanghyun wouldn’t know this? Is he that smart?’

Tae Jiwoong shook his head, thinking such thoughts.

It was useless for him, who had to ‘unofficially’ convey Ohkyung Group’s position on Lee Sanghyun, to think like he was worrying about a mouse. [referring to Sanghyun]

However, Tae Jiwoong was able to realize a few days later that Lee Sanghyun was not a mouse.

Because mice can’t fly in the sky.

***

Sanghyun received an O visa.

An O visa is issued to foreigners with extraordinary abilities or outstanding achievements in fields such as science, art, and business. In short, it was a visa that foreigners could apply for when they wanted to work in their respective fields in the United States.

Psy gained some fame after Gangnam Style with his O visa activities.

It wasn’t easy to prove ‘extraordinary ability’ or ‘outstanding achievements,’ but in Sanghyun’s case, it wasn’t that difficult.

The results he had achieved were so great, and Oh Yeonjoo also helped by using her connections.

“Thank you, Vice President Oh.”

“I don’t know if this is something to be thankful for. After all, I’m the one who caused all of this.”

“I don’t think so, so just accept my thanks, okay?”

Oh Yeonjoo chuckled at Sanghyun’s words.

Lee Sanghyun was young but didn’t seem young at all, and he was a very considerate person. Oh Yeonjoo often felt human charm from such Sanghyun.

‘Maybe that’s why I feel even more sorry.’

Oh Yeonjoo thought that Sanghyun being forcibly held by Ohkyung Media and having to break free and escape was all her fault.

Of course, she wasn’t entirely wrong. Sanghyun had every right to blame Oh Yeonjoo.

However, thanks to Oh Yeonjoo, he was able to find out the clear cause of his parents’ death, punish those involved, and live a life free from financial worries by receiving accident compensation.

It was true that Oh Yeonjoo approached Sanghyun for her position within the company, but it was also true that there was goodwill behind it.

‘She could have turned a blind eye the moment things got complicated, but she ended up staying with me until the end.’

Rather than looking at the cause and effect, if you look at the sincerity revealed in the process, Sanghyun could fully feel grateful to Vice President Oh Yeonjoo.

‘Still, it’s a relief that Vice President Oh Yeonjoo also gained something.’

If Sanghyun could pressure Hong Kyungsoo by teaming up with Oh Yeonjoo, Oh Yeonjoo could gain the title of competence at the company level by teaming up with Sanghyun.

Of course, not everyone would have noticed Oh Yeonjoo’s double-dealing. However, there was no evidence other than circumstantial evidence, and Oh Yeonjoo’s political line was strong, so there would be no problem.

Then Oh Yeonjoo said.

“I feel bad that Sanghyun is running away from Korea as if he’s being chased out.”

“Chased out? I’m walking out proudly on my own two feet. Or am I flying away?”

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m saving the fun to pour it all out in America.”

The matter between ‘Ohkyung Media – Koch Records’ was all settled, and the matter between ‘Hong Kyungsoo, Cha Inhyun – Lee Sanghyun’ behind the scenes was also all settled.

The heated public opinion was also gradually cooling down.

However, the unfinished business was that Ohkyung Media still had a strong influence in the Korean music industry, and that ‘Ohkyung Group’ harbored ‘hostility’ towards Sanghyun.

If Ohkyung Media harbored hostility, Vice President Oh Yeonjoo could cover it sufficiently. But if the group harbored hostility, Oh Yeonjoo couldn’t do anything about it.

Large-scale concert venues would be canceled as soon as they were booked, and broadcasting activities would be impossible. 888 Crew wouldn’t be able to stop album production or distribution, which they oversee, but the exposure of such activities to the media would disappear.

Unless Sanghyun leaves 888 Crew, 888 Crew would be held hostage to suppress Sanghyun.

Could Sanghyun and 888 Crew really carry out proper activities in Korea in this situation?

‘No matter how great Lee Sanghyun is, and how popular 888 Crew is, that can’t be.’

Oh Yeonjoo thought so. But her thoughts were only half right.

It would be difficult, but Sanghyun had the ability to withstand the pressure from Ohkyung Group and continue his music activities in Korea. It wasn’t entirely impossible to turn 888 Crew into a business entity, a label, and utilize connections and knowledge.

However, he wouldn’t be able to pour all his passion into music. It would be a situation where he had to do business to make music, which is putting the cart before the horse.

Also, the other crew members’ actions would be restricted.

To overcome the pressure from Ohkyung Group, there would be things that could be done and things that couldn’t be done.

So Sanghyun was leaving Korea.

To avoid harming the 888 Crew members.

‘No, honestly, this is an excuse.’

Rather than an excuse, the word rationalization was more appropriate.

The ambition within himself, which he clearly recognized, was to engrave his name in the home of hip-hop, America.

A market where he could clash with pure talent and passion, abandoning the benefits of being a regressor and the special nature of 2005.

Banging his head against the bare ground there.

The thought alone made his heart flutter.

Sanghyun had been preparing the blade of revenge since the moment he was forced to sign a contract with Hong Kyungsoo. Koch Records’ intervention was an unexpected boon, but anyway, if things went well, he knew he would have to leave Korea like this.

‘Am I still lacking a lot? Maybe I won’t be able to come next memorial day to put my name in the sky [a Korean tradition of honoring ancestors]. But I’ll try to come if possible.’

That’s why he had these thoughts at his parents’ columbarium. Because there was a high probability that he would be in the United States next memorial day.

Sanghyun felt sorry that he seemed to be disrupting the harmony of 888 Crew, but the crew members actively supported Sanghyun’s choice.

Hayeon even saw through Sanghyun’s hidden feelings in an instant.

‘Sanghyun, you don’t have to feel too sorry. No, why are you feeling sorry in the first place?’

‘Huh?’

‘The biggest reason you’re going to America is because of the crew, right?’

Sanghyun was surprised that Hayeon saw through his inner thoughts, which he hadn’t shown because he thought it would be an empty boast.

‘It’s not like Ohkyung Media is the only large agency in Korea… Sanghyun, you want to make it so that no agency can touch 888 Crew. By becoming very high yourself.’

Hayeon was right.

Even if the matter with Ohkyung Media was resolved, there was no guarantee that this would not happen again. Until now, 888 Crew was an existence outside the system, but now it needed to become an existence above the system.

888 Crew was a bigger existence than 56.

So if Sanghyun rose, 888 Crew would also rise.

‘Really? Oppa [older brother, used by females], are you really thinking that? Isn’t that totally chuuni [cringey behavior, often associated with teenagers trying to act cool or edgy]?’

Sangsangmi, who was listening from the side, said, causing Hayeon, who had been speaking seriously, to burst out laughing.

Then Oh Yeonjoo’s question, breaking Sanghyun’s reverie, was heard.

“So when are you going to America?”

“Well, I haven’t set a specific date yet.”

“Don’t worry about 888 Crew. It’s a bit strange to say this in front of the person involved, but Ohkyung Group only dislikes Lee Sanghyun. It takes time, effort, and money to put pressure and monitor, and there’s no reason for Ohkyung to invest such resources in 888 Crew without Lee Sanghyun.”

“Yes. Both externally and actually, 888 Crew has nothing to do with this incident. I believe that if pressure is applied to 888 Crew, Vice President will take responsibility and stop it.”

“From the beginning, you were planning to take all the blame if things didn’t go well?”

At Oh Yeonjoo’s question, Sanghyun reached out his hand instead of answering.

“Well, it’s not like I’m leaving forever, but thank you for everything so far. I won’t be seeing you for a while.”

“I’ll contact you if I go on a business trip to LA.”

“I probably won’t be in LA often because I’ll be on a nationwide tour. Come at the right time.”

Oh Yeonjoo chuckled at Sanghyun’s joke and shook his hand.

< Verse 34. Reminiscence > End

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