The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 2011

‘Is it okay to just walk in like this?’

Jang Jin-soo had doubts about his qualifications when he went through a simple interview—it wasn’t even much of an interview—and received the pass necklace, no, the intern necklace.

He hasn’t had a job before, so he doesn’t know much.

Isn’t this a position that someone might be desperate for?

To become the youngest member of the A&R team without going through difficult tests or pressure interviews felt like a parachute landing.

Even the interview was just asking when he could start working and if he was busy today. Since they didn’t ask anything else, he confessed that he had to go to school from March.

“Korea National University of Arts? Wow, you got into Korea National University of Arts? Congratulations.”

“Yes? Yes. Thank you.”

“It feels like just yesterday you guys were middle schoolers, and now you’re already college students…”

And that was the end of the reaction.

‘Is this company running properly?’

Jang Jin-soo, who had part-time job experience in the past, knew that this was definitely not normal.

Surprisingly, the company was running well.

Whether it was always like this, or because Halo had returned, the label regained its vitality. The PR team employee who was sobbing while holding onto Halo said,

“Yes, reporter.”

“Yes? Seon-yeon, what did you say? There’s a tip that you saw Halo at some high school graduation ceremony? No, what are you talking about? Why would Halo, who is in LA, be in such a place? We’re also embarrassed. Reporter, you’re not contacting us with such nonsense, are you?”

She showed acting skills that wouldn’t be strange even if she auditioned in Hollywood, and

“President, welcome. There are some interesting casting offers-.”

“President, regarding the new content planning.”

The employees grabbed the young president, who was much younger than them, and continued active communication.

Jang Jin-soo was honestly intimidated by the appearance of such active and professional personnel.

“There’s a content planning meeting on Monday morning, until then-.”

“Yes?”

“Why? Do you have any questions?”

“No, it’s not that. Am I going in too? Can I go in?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Team Leader Kang looked at me as if asking what the problem was.

“In our label, all employees have to go to the meeting.”

“…”

Even though I received the intern necklace, I wondered if I, a part-time worker, could go to such a meeting.

Even though I learned a little from the Azit hyungs [older male friends or brothers], I don’t know professional terms.

And if he makes a mistake, wouldn’t No Hae-il’s position become difficult?

“Will I be helpful?”

Only then did Kang Young-min realize why Jang Jin-soo was hesitating.

He exclaimed ‘Ah’ and scratched the back of his head. He wondered what to say to the question.

It was the same concern he had when he was scouted by Halo in the past.

And it was also something that many people in this company—especially those who didn’t major in this field—had worried about.

What should a leader do in this situation?

Some will encourage based on their experience, and some will persuade with eloquent words.

And perhaps, with strong charisma, they might not even allow such questions to be asked.

However, Kang Young-min did not belong to any type.

Rather, he was a freelancer style who only did his own thing.

Kang Young-min thought that he was not a leader type after all and replied as kindly as possible.

“We’ll know whether it will be helpful or not at the Monday meeting.”

I guess the answer wasn’t very good.

But he will find out on Monday.

That the content planning meeting may not be as big of a deal as Jang Jin-soo thinks.

A meeting where anyone can come up with ideas.

It doesn’t matter how absurd or funny the idea is.

Rather, Halo enjoyed such ridiculous things.

He will find out on Monday.

That the way to be helpful is not as difficult as he thinks.

Of course, it doesn’t seem to be of any help to Jang Jin-soo right now.

He nodded with a very nervous face.

Kang Young-min wondered, ‘Wasn’t I helpful after all?’ and started explaining about the work.

“Hello, I’m Jang Jin-soo, an intern in the A&R team.”

And at 9 a.m.

The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m., but Jang Jin-soo, who was all set, bowed 90 degrees as he watched people start entering the conference room.

A very nervous face. And people who knew that he was a fresh twenty-year-old, the same age as the president, looked at him with affection. Although he was a parachute hire, most of the H Label employees were brought in by Halo, so it could be said that they were all parachute hires. It was more difficult to find someone who came in through the normal route.

Besides, most of the people Halo brought in were doing their jobs sufficiently or more than sufficiently—it seems to be the power of 덕심 (dukshim, passionate fan loyalty) and a very high salary (!)—so they have faith in the president’s discernment.

Unlike Jang Jin-soo, who was nervous about making a mistake at the first meeting, the employees thought that he would do well. They thought of their younger days and found his nervous appearance cute.

“Jin-soo, hello!”

“You look unexpectedly nervous.”

“Hyung!”

Jang Jin-soo’s face brightened up at the appearance of a familiar face.

Since the content planning team was in charge of the Monday content planning meeting, the planning team leader brought up the agenda.

“Halo has two YouTube channels, right? He said he wouldn’t merge them, and we planned based on that. How about utilizing No Hae-il’s account, ‘wave_r,’ also known as ‘Waver’?”

With the development of YouTube, many celebrities are using YouTube to show their lives and their own content.

Celebrities can freely show content that they couldn’t do on TV, and fans can see their favorite stars more often, making it a win-win channel that can satisfy each other.

Even before becoming an employee of Halo, and even now, the employees who wanted Halo to be more exposed to the public wanted Halo to utilize his channel more.

In particular, people who had been fans since before Halo’s hemming out were secretly disappointed that the existing No Hae-il channel was being neglected.

The Halo account also uploads music videos and new albums.

The No Hae-il account only had primordial videos compared to the number of followers—which others would envy.

The proposal to utilize ‘Waver’ came from such regret. And they decided to be greedy for one more thing.

“Halo said that he will release an album under the name of No Hae-il this time-.”

‘Oh, really?’

Jang Jin-soo suddenly raised his head.

Since he released Halo’s 14th album, he thought he would be active under the name of Halo in the future.

Halo nodded, whether it was already agreed upon.

“How about reviving Waver? By creating our own content to upload to Waver.”

“What kind of content?”

“We have several opinions from our side.”

When Halo nodded, the planning team members began to speak one by one.

“We thought it would be better to create more independent content that we can continue to show. So, how about a talk show that shows human relationships, like ‘Live’ does on YouTube?”

“Or how about showing a completely free life? By giving it a title like Star’s Vacation-. One day, go to Japan to eat sushi, and another day, go to Italy to eat pasta.”

“Oh, that’s good. Sometimes take a cruise. Introduce a villa too.”

“How about ‘Give me everything from here to there’?”

Then, one by one, they started to speak.

“I think it would be good for Halo to show a side that he has never shown before. Like games or cooking.”

Jang Jin-soo was surprised that the content of the meeting was not as difficult as he thought. He even suggested ridiculous ideas sometimes.

“How about playing the guitar in zero gravity mode in a novel way?”

“I don’t think anyone has ever done that.”

“I think you’ll get your name on the Guinness Book of World Records…”

They laughed and chatted together.

Then there came a moment when everyone became quiet.

Because they couldn’t think of anything else.

At that time, Halo, who had been listening quietly and sometimes 받아치다 (badachida, parrying) with jokes, opened his mouth with a smile.

“I think there’s someone who hasn’t spoken yet.”

Jang Jin-soo stiffened without realizing it.

That bastard, no, that president, isn’t calling me out, is he? On the first day. I really don’t know anything.

Jang Jin-soo denied reality, but when he made eye contact with Halo, he admitted it.

Looking at his expression, it seemed like he was having fun making people uncomfortable rather than taking care of those who hadn’t spoken.

Jang Jin-soo shouted ‘You bad kid’ in his heart and decided to confess first.

“I-.”

Everyone’s eyes were on me.

In fact, I had something in mind while listening to the employees’ brainstorming.

I thought they had already discussed it, so I was quiet.

This is all I could think of, so I finally opened my mouth.

“Maybe other people have already thought about it. But for me, when it comes to No Hae-il, no, Halo, I can only think of one thing.”

“Music.”

It’s a cliché, but it really was.

The life of No Hae-il that Jang Jin-soo had seen was full of music.

Exactly from the time he met him in Hongdae [a district in Seoul known for its indie music scene] until now.

The image of No Hae-il playing games or cooking might be new and fun to someone, but for Jang Jin-soo, No Hae-il making music was the most amazing, enviable, and admirable.

No Hae-il cannot be explained without music, and I can’t imagine what he would look like without it.

It might be corny.

Everyone may have already considered it.

So, to add a little more opinion.

“If it were me, I would be most curious about the process of No Hae-il making the next album. Ah, it’s not that I’m not curious about other things.”

Jang Jin-soo didn’t realize that he had called the president’s name by accident because he was so nervous about the gazes of the people.

“Or… how about producing for people who like music but are not good at it, like me? Like the people like me who appeared on ‘Show Your Show.’ It may not be profitable for him to 뽑다 (ppopda, extract) songs like a machine alone—some people 피식 (pishik, snickered)—, but it was the most meaningful time for me so far.”

To be honest, Jang Jin-soo didn’t even know what he was saying. At some point, he lost track of his words and lost his point. It seemed like people’s expressions were hardening more and more.

Was it a stupid opinion after all?

“No Hae-il… I think the president is just most persuasive when he’s making music.”

Silence flows.

Jang Jin-soo wanted someone to say something.

He would be really grateful this time, no matter what No Hae-il said.

It was then.

Halo slowly raised the corners of his mouth.

It wasn’t a feeling of teasing, but an expression of liking something.

When Jang Jin-soo blinked, Halo opened his mouth.

“I like it, what do you all think?”

It felt like time that had stopped was released.

“I have nothing more to say.”

“Good.”

“After all, the young brain is good.”

“I’ve become too accustomed to large scales.”

The heavy atmosphere was immediately relieved.

Moon Seo-yeon smiled at Jang Jin-soo, and Han Jin-young gave him a thumbs up.

The public relations team employee, who was a former fan club executive, slapped his forehead.

“I’ve lost my 초심 (chosim, original intention). I will reflect.”

The content planning team leader shouted urgently, “Wait a minute,” and started writing something on the PPT.

Jang Jin-soo was 어리버리 (eoribeori, clueless) about what was going on.

It was then. Kang Young-min, who was sitting next to him, tapped him on the shoulder.

“Good job.”

“Yes?”

“I guess there’s something that artists have in common?”

Something seemed to have happened.

In a positive direction.

It seemed like people were positively reviewing my opinion.

“Then, from the planning to the release of the next album, shall we produce content with a making-of feel?”

“Producing… Halo and the meeting of amateurs. We can go with a healing camp vibe, or we can go harder. Anything is so good?”

“Let’s record that source and use it later. Let’s focus on daily reality for now. Because 중구난방 (junggunanbang, disorganized) is difficult.”

Suddenly, people started adding or supplementing new ideas to my idea from here and there.

“How about adding a reality feel to the making video? Not like a music video behind-the-scenes. But really showing everything from A to Z. From the composer’s agony to how much effort and manpower is needed to complete an album.”

“Halo is going… 뇌 (noe, brain)…? But I think daily reality is good. Because there is a steady need.”

“It might not be bad to expand the format to something like ‘Home Alone’ or ‘Omniscient Interfering View’?”

“What should we name the content? ‘Wise Music Life,’ which is popular these days?”

“Or what about ‘Parents’ World,’ which was popular at one time-. How about ‘Halo’s World’?”

“World.”

At that moment, everyone’s mouth was shut.

Rather than agreeing to the title this time, there was a title that flashed through their minds for a moment.

“Did only I think of our content title just now?”

“I think I thought of the same thing.”

When it comes to ‘world,’ the first thing that comes to mind is.

Moon Seo-yeon’s favorite song and the song of ‘Waver’ or ‘No Hae-il’ that is the focus this time.

“Welcome to My World.”