Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 295

295. Otherworldly Idol (2)

August 22, 2022

“That’s the problem.”

*Tap!*

Lee Seungmin put down his chopsticks, having been enjoying his ramen, and replied.

“I was hoping we wouldn’t get that group.”

“When you hope for that, you always get it…….”

“But aren’t those seniors really cool? When they perform, their aura and power are just amazing!”

Raon waved his chopsticks, scattering ramen noodles.

The quietest member, Doyul, grabbed Raon by the scruff of his neck and calmed him down.

It was similar to a mother cat gently pressing down on her excited kitten with her paw to calm it.

“Dat’s why Mini is 고민중 [gominjung – in deep thought/worrying]. So Mini got headache.”

Even Daniel, who was the least fluent in Korean, teased Raon.

“It means it’s difficult because their style is so strong,” Yeonwoo explained.

Lee Seungmin nodded.

“Since they are a group with such a distinct image, no matter how we reinterpret their song, there’s a high possibility that we’ll be seen as inferior to the original. You know what they say: no copy can beat the original.”

“First of all, I’m worried about which song to do. If we choose wrong, there’s a high possibility that we’ll just get buried by the song itself…….”

The girl group they were assigned to cover was an idol group called Sixtail.

They debuted a few years before UTT and had a solid fan base.

They were also famous for releasing hit songs with every album while showcasing various genres of music.

“I have no idea what to cover……,” UTT’s de facto leader, Lee Seungmin, sighed.

Yeonwoo shrugged nonchalantly.

“You shouldn’t forget the point of this competition. Winning is definitely a goal, but the bigger goal is to show diversity.”

“No matter how I think about it, this first competition seems too difficult. Was I wrong to think that……? I thought if we came here, we could do well.”

‘He’s digging again [self-sabotaging by dwelling on negative thoughts].’

I acknowledge the evilness of the PD [program director] who made us pick groups without dividing boy groups and girl groups.

But isn’t he digging a little too much already?

‘As expected, it’s a confidence issue. Confidence is the biggest problem.’

That’s what I felt after spending almost a week with them.

‘To think they can screw up in so many different ways.’

If this is a talent, it is a talent.

UTT managed to find problems in every possible situation.

At this point, you can’t help but call them creative.

‘Well, I understand that it was that kind of environment they came from.’

Not only were five people sharing one ramen bowl, but Lee Seungmin, who was in charge of composing and producing in the group, had also been working in a very poor environment.

Before we changed the practice room and set up the studio, Yeonwoo also started setting up Lee Seungmin’s workspace.

“The equipment you’re used to will be the best, so just tell me what you need, and I’ll set it up.”

Then Lee Seungmin handed over an old notebook and an old MP3 player.

I remember being stunned when I saw the discontinued old MP3 player; I didn’t even know where he’d gotten it.

“Um……. I’ve never learned how to compose properly…….”

Then he looked at Yeonwoo.

“I’ve never learned anything, so I really wanted to learn a lot this time, and I wanted to meet a professional producer, but it’s not because I hate you, Yeonwoo, okay? Huh?”

“Yes, well…….”

“……You know that, right?”

Yeonwoo’s reaction was sincere.

If he did it all by feeling, that’s really amazing.

If he made not just one song but several songs a hit by feeling, and even produced an album, how amazing is that?

‘What kind of treatment have these people been living under……?’

The notebook, full of fingerprints, seemed to show his past worries and anguish.

Yeonwoo immediately called Jerry and went shopping.

“I really……. chaebol [conglomerate heir] male lead…… I’m buying chaebol male lead stocks……!”

Raon made a fuss, saying it was like an idol version of My Fair Lady.

That’s actually what happened.

“Um…… aren’t you buying too much?”

The VJs assigned to UTT also expressed concern.

But who cares?

“I will make my team win.”

The first step to do that was to spend money like water, the so-called money-spending tactic.

Of course, even that couldn’t beat their chronic digging.

‘Why don’t they have any other abilities? They’re geniuses at digging. A-grade digging ability. They should have something like that.’

Anyway, the important thing is this.

They need confidence right now.

And we need to raise their self-esteem.

That is a part that will be naturally recovered if the belief that they can succeed and the belief in their skills are firmly established.

[Confidence level: 21%]

[Self-esteem level: 12%]

Even though I spent a lot of money and created all kinds of luxurious equipment and environments, confidence and self-esteem only increased a little.

It was a miracle that the confidence level broke through 20 percent.

“Why are Sixtail seniors six people? If there were four, we could just take one of us out.”

“I can’t be taken out.”

“Me neither.”

“……Anyway, even three would be fine, but why is it Sixtail? Where do we get one person? Aaaaah. Can one of you use Doppelganger or something? How are we supposed to divide the parts…….”

‘Since the concept is to show various sides, one person can take on two parts to highlight that member even more. The very act of creating the stage like that is already a new look that is different from usual, so it fits the concept.’

Or the members can take turns performing the remaining part.

When else would they get to do a part that they wouldn’t normally do?

But the problem was that Lee Seungmin didn’t seem to be able to think that far.

“One person…… one person is missing…… one person…….”

It’s like a zombie chanting Buddhist scriptures.

Watching him, Yeonwoo dropped a bomb.

“I can participate.”

The words were so calm.

Perhaps that’s why it took quite a while for the members to register it in their brains.

After quite some time, question marks appeared one by one above their heads.

“Uh…….”

“Huh……?”

“……?”

A beat late question.

It was similar to a slight denial of reality.

In the meantime, the leader, who tried to rationalize, said.

“Ah. Of course. Yeonwoo, you’re our producer. Of course you’ll participate…….”

“No. Not that. You said you need six people. I’m saying I’ll fill that remaining spot.”

The attempt was brave, but the reality that it failed miserably was unfortunate.

Everyone started to accept the absurd reality one by one.

“No. Wait a minute.”

“Yes.”

“So you’re saying you’re going to join? On our stage?”

“Can’t I? You said you’re short one person.”

“That’s right. Sixtail is six and we’re five, so we’re short one person.”

When the leader nodded at Yeonwoo’s words, Daniel poked him in the side.

In those eyes that asked if he was crazy, the leader suddenly came to his senses.

“You’re going to come in there?”

“Yes, well……. Is there a problem?”

“So…… you’re going to perform together? A girl group stage?”

“Can’t I?”

“No…….”

“Ah. Is there a rule that you can’t participate together unless you’re a member?”

“Huh? I don’t know about that?”

“Is that so?”

Then I have to check.

-“Yes? You’re saying Yeonwoo is going to do it together? A girl group stage?”

The PD’s reaction was no different.

“Yes. Is it against the rules? If it’s not allowed, I can’t help it.”

-“No, no. There are no rules about mentors participating on stage, so I don’t think it can be said to be a violation of the rules, so I don’t think it matters. When I think about it, it’s not bad? It’s a stage where talented people from different genres gather and create, right? In that case, it can be said to be a collaboration with other genres, so I think it will be a pretty good picture.”

Mentors, as well as participating idols, are members who play a relatively large role in composing this program.

In other words, the ‘diversity’ that the program pursues can also be applied to mentors.

R&B composers do hip-hop, trot [a genre of Korean pop music] composers make idol music, and pansori [Korean narrative song] prodigies sing pop songs.

‘It’s not strange to add an actor dancing there, right?’

Yeonwoo’s guess was correct.

“They say there’s no problem.”

Rather, the PD even added that it was a good idea and that he was going into a production meeting.

“Uh…… then that’s a relief……. Are you really going to do it?”

“Yes, well……. There’s no problem with the rules. If you just need one more person, it’s okay for me to do it, right? Don’t you think?”

“That’s right. That’s right, but Yeonwoo. Are you really okay……?”

The choreography and stage production also change according to the arrangement.

However, the basic framework does not change.

If you change even the core, you can’t call it an arrangement.

“It’s a girl group dance…… are you okay?”

“What does it matter? So is it okay to do it or not?”

“No…… I welcome it……! It’s not as easy as you think to reduce or increase one person, so if we can reduce the time spent on that, we can improve the quality of other parts.”

After calculating in his head, the leader leaned forward and his eyes lit up as if he had figured it out.

“I was already going crazy because the choreography would be all messed up if we reduced one person, so I was racking my brains about how to divide the parts……. Yeonwoo. Did I tell you?”

He looked at Yeonwoo with deep eyes.

“I love you?”

“Are you crazy?”

“No, hey. If you reject me right away like that, I’ll be very sad.”

Silly words came and went.

“I’m saying this because Seungmin hyung [older brother/male friend] seems to be having a hard time with the first mission and the program concept. In my opinion, the very fact that I’m joining and UTT is becoming six like Sixtail is already within the scope of variation.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it. Seungmin hyung said it’s hard to make six into five, right?”

“That’s right……?”

“Then it’s hard to do the opposite, too.”

“Uh……. Is that…… so……?”

“That’s right. The five of you have been working together for years, and now a foreign substance is joining.”

“Hyung is too big to be a foreign substance……?”

The youngest slipped in and then backed away, whimpering, under the gazes of the five members.

“When you say that, it sounds right again…….”

“Think of it as a rehearsal.”

“Rehearsal?”

“I heard that these days, singers do unit activities or something.”

That’s what Dongjaryeong said.

He said that these days, singers not only perform as a group, but also split up and perform.

When I asked if there was such a thing, I was treated like I didn’t know anything.

“UTT hasn’t done any unit activities, right?”

“……That’s right. We didn’t have enough money to do that…….”

The atmosphere suddenly became gloomy.

Doing unit activities itself costs money.

And UTT, which was in an extreme situation of being short on money, did not have that kind of leeway.

If they had that money, they would be busy investing in a formal album.

“Anyway, think of it as a rehearsal. Other groups have split up and put together, but UTT hasn’t done it yet, so just that alone will definitely show a new side.”

With this, the concept of diversity in the program is solved for now.

Whatever the case, Yeonwoo did not forget his role as a mentor.

‘What’s so special about being a mentor? The production team didn’t cast me because they wanted professional mentoring anyway. I just have to make them win the competition with my own interpretation.’

Of course, there was a secret contract that the members didn’t know about.

That is the contract with the system.

-Ting!

[You have met the conditions for a specific situation.]

[An additional mission has been opened by meeting the conditions.]

[Mission: Pass the first competition]

-Ting!

[You can acquire abilities by meeting the conditions.]

[Acquirable ability: Captivating and fluid dance lines][B]