Become A Music Monster Overnight! [EN]: Chapter 22

‘Legends of Rock’ was broadcast over two hours.

As expected of cable television, there were three commercial breaks, and they weren’t short either.

But this was unavoidable.

Advertising rates on cable were significantly lower than on terrestrial broadcasting, about 5 to 10 times less.

Since ‘Legends of Rock’ had a substantial budget, this was a given.

Fortunately, the bands that advanced to ‘Legends of Rock’ were highly skilled.

The show provided an opportunity for talented but unrecognized bands to showcase their abilities to a wider audience.

Because of this, even knowing that the G1 band had secured their spot in the next stage, Youngchan’s uncles still appeared anxious.

The G1 band performed at the very end of the second part.

“Yeah, the main characters always appear last.”

“Do your best!”

“Wipe them all out!”

“Good, good. Jiwon doesn’t seem nervous at all on stage, as expected.”

“Well done, my babies!”

“….Do you guys realize this is being recorded?”

Youngchan tried to bring his overly enthusiastic uncles back to reality, but they remained unfazed. They only quieted down when the G1 band signaled that they were ready to perform.

-Da-da-da-dang!-

-Du-du-du-dung!-

The guitar and drum sounds intertwined, soon joined by the keyboard, enriching the song’s overall texture.

But the real surprise was the bass.

-Ttung-ttang-ttang! Dung-dang!-

When the bass entered, slightly delayed, the song’s atmosphere transformed from hard rock to something softer, almost magically.

‘This? Could it be “Adam’s Love”?’

‘Wow. They arranged it like this?’

‘That bastard… He’s really crazy.’

‘What am I listening to?’

‘Kuaaaang! A monster roared! Why do I suddenly think of a transparent monster?’

Adam.

They were a rock band from the last golden age of rock, a genre that was becoming less mainstream in the late 90s. Their songs were so well-crafted that they still sounded fresh even in the present day, earning them sensational attention and love at the time.

Among their songs, ‘Love,’ the title track of their second album, was particularly popular with female fans, thanks to its innocent lyrics, a contrast to the band’s intense hard rock style.

The lyrics of ‘Love’ depict a naive, innocent affection.

Youngchan recommended this song to the G1 band precisely because of these lyrics.

Instead of a direct assault with heavy metal, where they couldn’t compete in terms of stage experience, he devised a strategy to highlight the unique qualities that only the G1 band could offer.

Naturally, the G1 band readily accepted Youngchan’s suggestion.

The arrangement of “Love” was so skillfully done that even the members of Black Tiger, who thought they knew Youngchan well, were taken aback.

Most arrangements involve adjustments to the tempo, pitch, and key.

It’s challenging to adapt a song to suit a particular singer while preserving the essence of the original.

The more polished the original song, the more caution is needed to avoid losing direction or even ruining it through excessive changes.

So, generally, fast songs are slowed down, and slow songs are sped up to create a different feel. Then, the key is adjusted to match the singer’s range, and the arrangement is refined overall.

This process might involve incorporating ballad elements, adding rap sections, or introducing unique touches like Korean traditional music or instruments, or sounds from other parts of the world.

However, Youngchan’s arrangement of Adam’s Love took a different approach.

On the surface, it was still “Love,” but internally, everything had been transformed. It was essentially a new song tailored specifically for the G1 band.

Yet, it retained the recognizable features of the original, a feat that couldn’t be easily replicated by simply observing.

In fact, this type of arrangement can easily feel awkward. Listeners familiar with the original song might experience an instinctive rejection, similar to the uncanny valley effect [a feeling of unease when encountering something that is almost, but not quite, human].

But Youngchan’s arrangement of “Love” avoided any such negative reaction.

It wasn’t just that it wasn’t awkward; it elevated the song to a higher level.

And it wasn’t just the quality of the song that changed.

The message the song conveyed also shifted.

While the original ‘Love’ expressed the passionate love of people in their 20s, Youngchan’s arrangement, sung by Park Jiwon, had a completely different feel.

“Even if you tease me for being a fool, I just smile. I just like being by your side.”

It was like witnessing the innocent, unrequited love of a country girl.

The G1 band’s version of “Love,” evoking the image of someone flustered by their first crush, was so pure that it was almost provocative.

In fact, when the camera briefly panned across the audience, many viewers were wiping away tears without even realizing it.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t just Jiwon’s vocals that created this atmosphere.

The G1 band’s instruments also produced an unusually bright and pure sound, further emphasizing the song’s innocence.

“Thank~ you. For staying by my side.”

From Jiwon’s voice, tinged with a hint of sadness despite the lyrics, the audience could sense that she would never be with the object of her affection.

And that she would always be content with that.

The G1 band’s poignant and pure rendition of “Love” concluded, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

“T, thank you.”

Jiwon, flustered by the initial silence after the song ended, barely managed to say goodbye, and only then did the audience erupt in applause.

-Waaaaah!-

The storm of applause and cheers engulfed them.

“Hahaha.”

Only then did the G1 band realize they had succeeded, and they all raised their hands, beaming.

Amidst the audience’s cheers, the leaders of the three major bands, who were serving as judges, couldn’t conceal their surprise.

They quickly reviewed the documents containing the band’s profiles and soon found the information they were looking for.

“YC? No prior activity. There’s no way someone like that is a rookie, so who the hell is he?”

“Could he be from overseas?”

“Ah! Wait. It says here that the kids’ agency is YC Entertainment.”

“If it’s something like JYD Entertainment, then YC must be initials too, right?”

“I should have them investigate.”

“I wish I could get a song from whoever he is.”

“Oh my, are you old guys trying to release another album? If you’re going to get it, it’s better for us to get it.”

“Hahaha. Anyone would think you guys are young. You guys are over sixty too, don’t pretend to be young.”

“It’s a fact that we’re younger than you guys.”

As legends who had shaped Korean music history, they were more interested in YC, the producer, than the G1 band itself.

Certainly, while the G1 band was outstanding for their age, they still had some shortcomings at a professional level.

“Ah, I’m curious. Let’s ask the kids.”

One of the judges, unable to contain his curiosity, picked up the microphone.

“That was a truly remarkable performance. I never imagined anyone could arrange and sing Adam’s Love like that. It’s been a while since I’ve felt so moved.”

“Hehe.”

“It says here that YC arranged it? Who is he?”

“YC? Ah! He’s our master.”

“Master?”

The judge was momentarily taken aback, as the term wasn’t commonly used these days. Undeterred by the silence, Jiwon continued, her excitement evident.

“Yes! Our master, the best musician, is currently preparing to debut under the name Black Tiger.”

“Black Tiger? Is that a band?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s also the most amazing band in the world. I heard they’re releasing a limited first edition next year, so be sure to buy it. It’ll be worth a lot later.”

“Hahaha. You even know about that?”

“Of course. The judges should definitely buy it too. It’s a chance to listen to the world’s best album.”

“If you say that much, I’m tempted. How about featuring Black Tiger on this stage?”

“Ah! I don’t think he’d refuse?”

“PD [Production Director], did you hear that? He said he’d accept. Please make sure to cast them.”

“Hahaha!”

No one took the claims about the world’s most amazing band or the best album seriously. Instead, their curiosity about the identity of YC only intensified.

As a result, the G1 band advanced to the next stage without much suspense.

The members of Black Tiger, watching the kids promote them, couldn’t help but smile.

“They’re really admirable, aren’t they?”

“I know. It’s amazing that you’re treating such kind and cute kids like devils. You too.”

“Isn’t it Stockholm syndrome [a psychological response where hostages or abuse victims develop positive feelings toward their captors or abusers]?”

“That’s right. There’s no way the kids would like him so much otherwise.”

“Look at how much weight Jiwon has lost. How much she must have suffered… Her chubby cheeks.”

Youngchan shrugged at his uncles’ criticisms, even their talk of Stockholm syndrome, and said.

“You’re all just jealous. It’s only natural to admire a young and talented musician.”

“……”

At those words, his uncles tried to respond, but in the end, no one could.

“Damn it!”

Youngchan’s words were too accurate to refute.

However, as if their pride was wounded by retreating like this, Park Siyoung finally shook his head and asked.

“Don’t people usually avoid saying things like that about themselves?”

“Do I seem like an ordinary person to you? I think I’m being quite humble?”

“….Tsk.”

Park Siyoung spat on the floor.

It was obvious that he wasn’t ordinary, and Youngchan’s claim of being humble was annoying, but it was also true.

Given his extraordinary talent at such a young age, Youngchan wasn’t arrogant or anything.

Park Siyoung knew how remarkable that was.

He had seen countless people with far less talent than Youngchan’s become consumed by self-admiration and act insufferably.

Considering that, Youngchan’s mental fortitude was truly impressive, regardless of his age.

“We did it!”

It wasn’t just the G1 band celebrating.

The production team of ‘Legends of Rock,’ monitoring the viewership ratings in real-time, were also overjoyed.

They had achieved a peak viewership of 3.2%.

That viewership would have been concerning for a terrestrial broadcast, but it was a huge success for cable channel A.

Especially considering the growing public fatigue with excessive audition programs.

“Yeah, just as I thought. The G1 band will be the key to this program!”

The G1 band possessed all the elements that appealed to viewers.

They were the only teenage band to reach the finals, and their vocalist was a talented and beautiful girl with exceptional skills.

In particular, this talented beauty possessed incredible star power.

She commanded attention simply by standing still, and when she sang, she radiated a presence as if bathed in spotlights.

In short, the emergence of a young, pretty, and exceptionally talented band was a combination that few could resist.

As expected, after the first broadcast, the G1 band gained a tremendous amount of popularity.

And along with their popularity, the viewership ratings of ‘Legends of Rock’ also grew at an astonishing rate.

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