The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 197

Verse 30. Full Moon

***

Today, CBC Broadcasting’s “Popular Music” was set to feature a special summer *kikaku* [Japanese for “project” or “feature”] called ‘Summer Special.’

The 888 Crew was tasked with the ‘Hot Debut’ segment, which was positioned in the golden time slot of this special *kikaku*.

In fact, there had been much debate among the PDs [Production Directors] within CBC Broadcasting preparing for today’s show about whether 888 Crew’s appearance should be considered a comeback or a debut.

Looking at it as a comeback, 888 Crew had never appeared on music shows except for Hip Hop the Vibe. Lee Sang-hyun had appeared on music shows a few times, but there had never been a stage under the team name ‘888 Crew.’

Also, considering the original meaning of the word mixtape, 888 Crew’s ‘official’ work was JFTR for the first time. So, from a normal perspective, 888 Crew was indeed a rookie.

However, when viewed through the lens of being rookies, there were one or two strange things.

What crazy rookie sells 50,000 copies of their album in the first week of release and is nominated for first place on their debut stage?

What crazy rookie decorates the main pages of various portal sites with a single showcase and collaborates with legendary musicians like KRS-ONE?

Looking at it as a comeback, it was ambiguous what they were making a comeback based on, and looking at it as a debut, they were excessively huge.

After much deliberation, CBC Broadcasting decided to consider 888 Crew’s appearance as a debut.

In fact, this decision also carried a sense of ‘mockery.’ The target of this mockery was the other two major broadcasting stations.

Among the Korean public broadcasting stations, MSC, KSC, and CBC, CBC Broadcasting was a broadcasting station that was subtly ostracized and disregarded.

This was because CBC Broadcasting was not a *public* broadcasting station in the traditional sense.

Public broadcasting. Broadcasting for the public welfare.

Perhaps because of the pride of public broadcasting that had been passed down since 1948, some executives at MSC or KSC even disparaged CBC Broadcasting’s PDs as ‘advertising peddlers.’

In modern times, there was little difference between public and private broadcasting in terms of systems or programs, so CBC Broadcasting couldn’t help but feel resentful.

So, CBC Broadcasting entrusted 888 Crew with ‘Hot Debut.’ The 888 Crew, who had been blacklisted by MSC and KSC, was making a truly hot debut.

This was something that CBC Broadcasting could do because 888 Crew’s JFTR had produced results that could not be ignored. If it had been a success at an ordinary level, CBC Broadcasting would not have been at odds with the other two broadcasting stations.

Thinking about it, it was a very satisfying thing.

Perhaps MSC or KSC would not scout 888 Crew until the end. Because they had their pride.

But what if 888 Crew took first place on CBC Broadcasting’s music show? Moreover, an unrivaled first place with no competitors?

Viewers couldn’t help but intuitively know that.

It was abnormal that they took first place on CBC Broadcasting, but MSC or KSC didn’t even give them a stage, let alone nominate them for first place.

Moreover, there wasn’t even a team that was performing similarly to 888 Crew right now.

These intentions were underlying CBC Broadcasting’s permission for 888 Crew to appear on music shows.

Of course, the fact that 888 Crew was favorable to CBC Radio Broadcasting, and Lee Sang-hyun was favorable to CBC Broadcasting, also played a part.

Originally, superstars move their surroundings on their own even if they stay still. They get excited on their own, react on their own, and the surrounding system wriggles.

Even if 888 Crew wasn’t a superstar yet, it couldn’t be denied that the system surrounding them had begun to wriggle.

They had only made one album, but that was it.

The 888 Crew members were waiting in the waiting room, unaware of what was happening in the system surrounding them.

Joon-hyung, who had been pacing around for a while, opened his mouth.

“I’ve experienced so many stages so far, but I’m as nervous as I am today…”

“Oh, not again!”

Sang-mi cut him off as Joon-hyung was about to launch into his usual spiel of ‘There’s no stage as nerve-wracking as today, I’m so nervous.’

Then, Joon-hyung made a wounded expression and asked pitifully.

“Sang-mi, why are you being like this to me these days? Is it because I turned my socks inside out a few times? Or is it because I squeeze the toothpaste from the middle? Or is it because Sang-hyun thought you cooked the soup and said it was bad?”

“…I forgot about that.”

Joon-hyung flinched and shut his mouth as Sang-mi’s expression turned vicious.

Sang-hyun, who had been watching the scene quietly, frowned and said.

“Hey, that sounds like something people could misunderstand. Anyone who hears it would think you two live together.”

“Oh, really? But why is that a misunderstanding? We *do* live together, don’t we?”

“Shouldn’t I zip up that mouth of yours since it’s blocking Sang-mi’s marriage prospects?”

“Ugh, are you an old man? What’s ‘marriage prospects’ to a high school student?”

Sang-mi rebuked Sang-hyun this time.

At that time, the cheers of people were heard from afar. It seemed that another team’s stage had ended.

Min-ji, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“Who just finished? Isn’t it almost our turn?”

“I don’t know. Shall I go find out?”

“No. Someone will come and tell us if we wait.”

Since Popular Music was a mix of pre-recorded and live broadcasts, it was difficult to figure out the entire order with just the cheers of the audience.

At that time, the assistant director burst into the waiting room.

“888 Crew! 888 Crew is on in three! Let’s move!”

“How long is ‘three’?”

“It’ll take about twenty minutes.”

“Then, can I go to the bathroom?”

Joon-hyung and Woo Min-ho ran to the bathroom at the assistant director’s urging to hurry.

The other members checked the lyrics or drank water to relieve their tension.

Although Sang-mi rebuked Joon-hyung, the heart pounding right before going on stage was something that would not change even after experiencing the stage tens of thousands of times.

No, it *shouldn’t* change.

Because they enjoyed this excitement and pleasant tension, they loved music.

After a while, the 888 Crew followed the assistant director and appeared in the waiting area next to the stage and MC seats.

At that moment, an enormous scream erupted.

-Kyaaaaaaak!

-Woaaaaaa!

When watching music shows on TV, there were cases where a crazy scream erupted even though the singer wasn’t very famous or singing a hit song.

In fact, such things often happened because of what was happening outside the camera angle.

The insane screams that people were making as soon as 888 Crew appeared would sound like they were pouring out to the singers on stage when viewed through the TV.

“Wow… it’s amazing.”

“I know. Are those people the 888 Crew?”

“Yes. They’re not a team created by an agency, but they’re all handsome and pretty.”

Mild, a pretty female idol, and Choo Il-hoon, a popular actor in his mid-20s, whispered to each other.

Mild and Choo Il-hoon had been in charge of Popular Music’s MC [Master of Ceremonies, or host] for over a year.

Even they were hearing such enthusiastic cheers for the first time. They hadn’t even gone on stage, but had only appeared in the waiting line.

“Isn’t that friend the one who sang Indie Kid and If Today Passes? Was it FiveSix?”

“Yes, that’s right. But he’s more often called by his real name, Lee Sang-hyun, than FiveSix.”

“Is 888 Crew such a great team?”

Choo Il-hoon tended to be insensitive to the latest trends unless it was related to the program, as he was busy appearing in movies, dramas, and variety shows.

If he wasn’t watching Popular Music MC, the latest song he knew would probably be ‘Oh Pilseung Korea’ from the 2002 World Cup. That’s how little interest he had in music.

However, there was a word that he had heard so often that it was stuck in his ears for about ten days, and that was 888.

Whether he went to the movie set, the drama set, or other variety shows, the word 888 was always heard.

In fact, actors like Choo Il-hoon are insensitive to trends, but those who make a living from trends in the show business industry have no choice but to be sensitive to issues.

The 888 Crew had been a top issue among issues for the past ten days. The nuance of the word ‘underground musician’ itself was being shaken up because of the 888 Crew.

He heard that the music team of the movie he was currently filming was considering putting rap in the OST [Original Soundtrack]. By scouting the 888 Crew.

“*Oppa* [Korean term used by females to address older males, often brothers or close male friends] doesn’t know much, but they’re really cool people. They’re especially popular among idols. Should I say they’re idols of idols?”

The PD’s voice was heard through the in-ear, telling them to prepare their ments [short prepared statements] at the moment Mild answered.

Mild and Choo Il-hoon stopped chatting and reviewed the script they had memorized in advance once again.

After a while, the stage ended.

“Yes! It was a stage full of summer vibes, wasn’t it?”

“It was a stage that made me want to go on vacation as soon as possible. Now, Mild. What’s the next song?”

The MCs’ childish song introductions, typical of music shows, continued.

And after these song introductions came out two more times, it was finally 888 Crew’s turn.

***

The moment the 888 Crew members stepped onto the stage, the Popular Music set was shaken by screams. It was a sound that couldn’t be compared to when they were waiting below the stage.

What was interesting was that the shouts of adult men were also heard quite loudly. It was a rather heterogeneous shout among the audience, which was made up of more than 70% teenage boys and girls.

-Woaaaaaaak!

-Woooooo!

The 888 Crew members laughed at the bizarre shouts that weren’t cheers.

They knew that quite a few hip-hop fans had come to the Popular Music set while lurking on HiphopLE [a popular Korean hip-hop online community]. And they liked it very much.

Fans who were experiencing things they would never have experienced in their lives to listen to 888 Crew’s music.

These unfamiliar experiences would be remembered for the rest of their lives, and when they recalled those experiences, 888 Crew’s music would also be stored in one corner of their memory.

Sang-hyun suddenly felt a surge of gratitude in his heart. He had no choice but to grab the microphone and express his respect.

“Shout out HiphopLE! Shout out Korean hip hop!”

The 888 Crew members widened their eyes at Sang-hyun’s sudden shout and then shouted belatedly.

“Shout out Korean hip hop fans!”

“Eight That Eight That Eight That Crew!”

The audience was quiet for a very short time at the 888 Crew’s shout.

This was because it was difficult for people who were not hip-hop fans or 888 Crew fans to understand properly.

But the silence was short, and the cheers were long.

-Kyaaaaaaak!

-Shout out!!

-888 Crew!

An enormous cheer covered the stage.

Na Han-soo PD, who was quite close to Sang-hyun and the 888 Crew members, frowned and *짚었다* [Korean word meaning “pointed to” or “touched”] his forehead with a dumbfounded expression.

“Ugh, I wondered why they were staying still.”

“PD, what should we do about this?”

“I don’t know, either. The sound balancing was already finished, so what can we do now? There’s no time.”

Na Han-soo PD said that and just let it go. Perhaps this aspect was what made people so enthusiastic about the 888 Crew.

Right now, the ‘Coming up next’ video was being played before the 888 Crew’s introduction was over and the ‘Hot Debut’ stage was about to come out.

Originally, during Coming up next, which introduces the stages that will follow next, the video is played with the live sound of the audience.

The singers’ microphone sound is omitted, though.

This is because the noisy sounds and expectant cheers of the audience are excellent devices that can enhance the sense of realism and show that it is a live broadcast. However, a slight compressor had to be applied so that the sound didn’t stand out too much.

Usually, singers are busy during Coming up next.

They are busy taking positions on the stage, checking the choreography, and racking their brains to avoid making mistakes.

But the 888 Crew was either because they had nothing to do, or because they were excited, they were inducing cheers from the audience.

The result?

The peaks that were bursting out ate up the Coming up next audio. In other words, the audience’s shouts were mixed with the video audio.

People who were watching Popular Music on TV right now must have been hearing only enormous shouts.

End

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