The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 52

Verse 8. Jeonju Worldwide Indie Music Festival

Friday, August 12th, was the eve of the Jeonju Worldwide Indie Music Festival, sponsored by the LOC Group.

The main musician survival event was to start the next day, the 13th, but people were already swarming in from the 12th. It seemed the guest lineup was most impressive on the 12th, the eve, and the 15th, the closing ceremony.

The L&S band members arrived in Jeonju on the 12th, a day before the performance, for rehearsal. They could rehearse on the 13th as well, but they wanted to be fully prepared for such an important festival.

“Rap is our secret weapon, so Sanghyun, don’t rap during the rehearsal, just check the sound. If there’s nothing to decide, just sing a song or something.”

At Bang Minsik’s words, Sanghyun had to sing an unexpected song on the rehearsal stage and come down.

“Ugh. How embarrassing.”

“What’s embarrassing?”

Miju, who was adjusting the sound balance, asked, handing him water from under the stage.

“Ugh, I sang so badly.”

“What does it matter? Other vocalists just sing roughly too.”

“Other vocalists look like they’re singing roughly, but I look like I’m singing with all my effort. If I had known, I would have sung roughly too…”

“Are you now coveting the vocals?”

Sanghyun shook his head and gulped down the water. Meanwhile, Miju was called back onto the stage by Bang Minsik. Something seemed to be wrong.

‘There are so many people.’

Sanghyun looked around.

Everywhere he looked, there were banners and tents with the LOC logo, the sponsor, and they were filled with people. Despite the hot weather, there were so many people.

‘I hope there are this many people when we perform.’

Around the special stage of the Jeonju Sports Complex, where the Worldwide Indie Music Festival was taking place, a radius of 1 km was packed with people.

Numerous street vendors were stationed, and the park’s walking paths were overflowing with families enjoying outings and couples on dates.

It was an enviable sight.

‘I should go on a trip with Sangmi.’

Wouldn’t it be more fun to take the entire 888 crew rather than just the two of us? Everyone is close to Sangmi, and it’s better to be noisy. But then, is it not a family trip? Should I go with Sangmi alone?

While Sanghyun was contemplating the sudden topic of travel, L&S’s rehearsal ended.

Several bands competing in tomorrow’s competition were waiting, so everyone felt like they were playing moderately and coming down.

They say a master hides 70% of their skill, right?

‘I hid 100% today.’

Since I sang a song I’m not even good at.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

“Ah, Minsik hyung [older brother/male friend]. You worked hard in this heat.”

“What hard work?”

Bang Minsik wiped away sweat and packed his guitar. Then, bassist Yongjun put his hand on Sanghyun’s shoulder.

“Ah, it’s hot. Oh, Sanghyun.”

“Yes?”

“Look at this text.”

Yongjun rummaged in his pocket, took out his phone, and handed it to Sanghyun. The phone, which he received with a puzzled look, had a text that read, ‘You sing terribly.’ The sender’s name was Brother.

“Brother? Who is this?”

Just then, someone tapped Sanghyun on the back of the head. When he turned around, Junhyung was standing there.

“Junhyung!”

Sanghyun was surprised by Junhyung’s sudden appearance. Miju and the L&S members also welcomed Junhyung, who had suddenly appeared.

“What’s going on? I thought you couldn’t come?”

“Hehe, family schedule canceled, hyung [older brother/male friend].”

“You came straight here? When are you leaving?”

“I’m going to watch you guys win.”

“Wow, Junhyung knows how to socialize.”

Yongjun put his hand on Junhyung’s shoulder. Then Sanghyun tapped Junhyung on the back of the head. Being happy is one thing, revenge is another.

The 888 crew members decided to come to the Jeonju Festival to cheer for L&S, who were practically a team. Except for Park Inhyuk, who had an unavoidable event, everyone was gathering in Jeonju according to their schedules.

The L&S members were in a good mood because even Junhyung, who originally couldn’t come, had shown up.

“Sangmi is being brought by Minji noona [older sister/female friend]. Minji noona got her license a few days ago and is bringing her mother’s car?”

“What? A car? I’m nervous… Is Minji noona a good driver?”

“I don’t know. I think she’s good at fighting while driving?”

“That’s true.”

“Hwan hyung could have come earlier, but he’s going to be a bit late because he’s bringing ‘that person’.”

“Yeah. I talked to him earlier.”

While Junhyung and Sanghyun were chatting, the L&S members went to take their instruments to the accommodation.

Since the drums were to be managed by the organizers, the drummer, Hwang Insoo, carried Miju’s keyboard. Miju couldn’t enter the men’s accommodation anyway, so she stayed put.

“Oh, noona [older sister/female friend], you’re a complete queen. Not lifting a finger and making Insoo hyung do all the work.”

“Just stay still, it’s hot. Noona is very hot right now.”

Miju looked down at her clothes. It was a stylish shirt with frills and a black skirt that came to about her knees, but no one in L&S or 888 said it was pretty.

While Miju was wondering whether to smack Junhyung on the back, Junhyung suddenly clapped his hands and said.

“Oh, right. Hayeon said she’s in Jeonju right now.”

“Huh? Already in Jeonju?”

“Yeah. Her close cousin lives nearby? So she came a bit early to see her.”

“Hey, but even if Hayeon is staying at her cousin’s house, where are you going to sleep tonight? The pension booked under the crew’s name is from tomorrow?”

“I’ll have to sleep at a jjimjilbang [Korean sauna].”

“You don’t have a guardian.”

“Can’t I just have them talk to my mom or dad?”

“Hmm…”

Sanghyun and Junhyung put their heads together and pondered, and Sanghyun suddenly felt that these minor concerns were no longer awkward.

After singing Only one in the park and clearing his mind, his psychological stress had completely disappeared.

‘Come to think of it, it seems like Hayeon remembers Only one.’

Sanghyun had heard Hayeon unconsciously humming the song in the studio. It was just humming, but it was definitely the melody of Only one.

‘What song are you singing now?’

‘Huh? What song did I sing?’

She probably vaguely remembered the melody of a song she had heard unconsciously, but Sanghyun was secretly nervous.

The content of Only one is not important. It contains his parents’ story, but he plans to tell the 888 and L&S members about his parents soon anyway.

The important thing is that he sang a song from the very distant future. Musicians can remember music for a very long time if they have the opportunity.

‘I have to be careful.’

Only one is a song he really likes and covets, but he absolutely doesn’t want anyone other than Kanye West to sing it.

If Sanghyun were to steal the song Only one, he would never be satisfied with the result.

He can’t reproduce the same beat, nor can he imitate the keyboard played by Paul McCartney of the Beatles. He also can’t imitate Kanye’s nonchalant yet heart-wrenching vocals.

As a result, it won’t be a hit, and it won’t be a meaningful song to the world.

Sanghyun had several songs like that. Songs he never wanted to ruin.

For example, a song like Caliph’s ‘Once in a Lifetime’.

“Let’s go eat!”

The L&S members carried all the instruments and came back. They argued for a long time about whether to eat bibimbap [Korean mixed rice dish] since they came to Jeonju, or naengmyeon [Korean cold noodles] since it was so hot, and then headed to a restaurant.

***

The LOC Group was a group that had been involved with music since its inception. The group’s first start was during the Japanese colonial period, importing and distributing Japanese songs, including Kimigayo [Japanese national anthem], under the Japanese Government-General of Korea.

After liberation, they lay low during the pro-Japanese purge period and transformed into a group encompassing media, art, publishing, distribution, newspapers, broadcasting, and the fashion market.

The LOC Group traditionally sided with those in power, using art and media, and thanks to this, they had been protected by the upper echelons. During the military regime, they also produced ideological songs and propaganda songs to support the military regime.

As anti-American and anti-Japanese sentiments deepened in the Korean public after the IMF [International Monetary Fund] crisis and into the 2000s, the LOC Group developed a very bad image as a pro-Japanese group. There was even a boycott movement.

The LOC Group’s PR department, feeling the seriousness, started ‘Sponsorship of Korean Independent Art’ as a breakthrough for image renewal.

They began actively sponsoring various independent arts that could change their image, such as the University Song Festival, the 5.18 Literature Festival, and the Independent Film Festival.

Among them, the most outstanding achievement in image renewal was the hosting and sponsorship of the ‘Worldwide Indie Music Festival’.

The Worldwide Indie Music Festival, which is in its fourth year this year, has established itself as a traditional festival that attracts an average of over 30,000 people per year, including families.

In particular, this year, 2005, the festival was being held on the largest scale ever, with a total of 4 days of festivities, including Liberation Day.

Marketing efforts to eliminate the pro-Japanese image by adding booths such as ‘Understanding Liberation Day’ were also noticeable.

Sanghyun, who knew the history of pro-Japanese activities and power 줄타기 [jultagi – tightrope walking, metaphor for political maneuvering], disliked the LOC Group, but he was also inwardly impressed by the festival with its many attractions and entertainment.

This Jeonju Worldwide Festival was scheduled to consist of two competitions and two concerts, excluding congratulatory performances and small booths.

The competitions were the Band Survival and the R&B Survival.

The concerts were Pansori [Korean narrative song] and Reinterpretation of 80-90s Songs.

Except for the congratulatory performances by famous singers, the audience’s attention was focused on the survival shows.

Judging by the size of the stage alone, the survival shows were on the central special stage, and the concerts were on a small stage.

The prize money for the Band Survival was ten million won.

The prize money for the R&B Survival was five million won.

The L&S members, Miju, and Sanghyun had finished their preparations to aim for ten million won.

***

The thumping of drums and the distant sound of boisterous crowds.

Tension flowing through the pleasant air conditioning.

L&S was waiting for their turn in the backstage waiting room.

“Ugh, I’m nervous.”

“Are we next after next?”

“Yeah.”

Hwang Insoo and Bang Minsik, who are usually nervous before performances, didn’t know what to do and kept drinking water.

“Hyung, stop drinking water. You’ll need to pee.”

“Insoo, let’s go smoke.”

“You just smoked.”

“Still.”

Of the members going on stage, Lee Sanghyun, Shin Miju, Bang Minsik, Hwang Insoo, Yongjun, and Cha Inhyun, the only two smokers went outside, and the waiting room became quiet. Only the intermittent thumping of drums from the team performing in the distance could be heard.

“Ugh, it’s so quiet now that the two chatterboxes are gone.”

At Miju’s words, Sanghyun shrugged his shoulders.

Cha Inhyun originally didn’t talk much, and Yongjun hyung is a very loud person, but he had a habit of shutting his mouth right before a performance.

“Are all the 888 people here?”

“Yes. Sangmi, Junhyung, Hayeon, and Minji noona are watching from the audience.”

“Inhyuk oppa [older brother/male friend] said he couldn’t come, what about Hwan oppa?”

“He’s bringing someone and will come tonight.”

“Who?”

“It’s a secret.”

Miju and Sanghyun chatted to relieve the tension.

“You don’t seem very nervous?”

“I’m nervous. But my part is short today.”

No sooner had Sanghyun finished speaking than the sound of drums stopped in the distance and applause was heard. A moment later, a staff member opened the door and said, ‘Next up. Please stand by,’ and quickly disappeared.

Verse 8. Jeonju Worldwide Indie Music Festival End

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