Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 53



Only Krnovel

53. Walk

“Winter Song?”

– Yes, it’s almost the end of the year, so I’m thinking about a single. I have to aim for the end-of-year special. Hehe.

Yuna said, laughing heartily.

– I thought of you while I was developing the idea. Actually, ever since we first met at the Paradise Shopping Mall, I’ve always wanted to work on a song together. That’s why I’m making this offer. Are you interested?

Cha Seong-jun chuckled at Yuna’s question.

Artists from not only Korea but also overseas are lining up to work with top singer Yuna.

But first, they reached out to me and asked me to work with an unknown rookie who hadn’t even released a debut album yet.

Well, strictly speaking, I’m not an unknown rookie since I’ve been active as D.Voice, but anyway.

Therefore, asking for intentions was an error in itself.

What fool would kick away the blessings that have rolled into his hands, especially the huge blessings, when even prostrating himself deeply would not be enough?

But I felt it was a bit awkward to show too much excitement, so I responded with a moderate amount of gratitude.

“I am honored.”

On the other hand, Yuna, unlike Cha Seong-jun, shows her joy openly.

– Really?! Okay! Then I’ll tell Seok Oppa. Then we can schedule a meeting as soon as the management team coordinates the schedule.

And then he started talking about TMI like he was really excited.

In fact, I think I would have had a bit of a mental breakdown if I had been rejected.

Nothing has been decided yet, but we are thinking about working together on everything from writing lyrics to composing and singing.

And since he still had something to show for the last time he reversed course on the charts, he told her to feel free to ask him if she needed any help while working on her album.

– Anyway, I’ll contact you again soon!

Yuna, who was chatting away so excitedly, heard from somewhere, “Sister, stop calling and get ready,” and she left like the wind.

After finishing the call, Cha Seong-jun came out of the studio.

He was originally full of hunger, but it all went away after receiving the Winter Song offer.

Is this what it feels like to be full without eating?

But physically, you still have to fill your stomach.

So I was thinking about going to the convenience store today, but then I changed my mind.

Since I signed an official contract with MXM Entertainment, I thought I’d try something delicious.

Well, since the weather is cold, how about some hot hangover soup?

In Jeju Island style.

Recently, I was introduced to a hidden restaurant nearby that was cheap, served rice topped with rice, and had a lot of blood sausage.

The source of the introduction is Baek Seok.

Is it because he is a former manager who has been to every restaurant?

While riding in the van, we happened to talk about the delicious restaurants around the studio in Yeokchon-dong, so I started talking about them.

Expectations are high for this restaurant, which has been approved by Baekseok, who seems to be picky about food.

Cha Seong-jun, who had been walking, arrived at ‘Grandma’s Jeju Haejangguk’.

Indeed, the shabby exterior is the perfect visual for a delicious restaurant.

Moreover, the delicious smell of hangover soup wafting through the cracks in the window stimulates the salivary glands.

It was a moment when I couldn’t stand it anymore and immediately grabbed the handle.

“I ate well.”

As soon as I opened the door, I lightly bumped into a woman coming out after finishing her calculations.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.”

The face of the woman who bowed her head slightly and passed by seemed quite familiar.

‘You work at a convenience store, right?’

The other person didn’t seem to recognize him because he was in a hurry to leave, but it seems like the part-timer ate here too.

Of course, it’s cheap, plentiful, and delicious.

Since the restaurant is near my studio, it’s strange to run into each other here and there.

Could this be fate?

She is the muse of ‘Drink me like coffee’.

I thought for a moment, thinking that maybe I could pick a good song this time too.

For example,

I first met her in front of a hangover soup restaurant in Jeju Island.

I could smell the savory scent of hangover soup among the swaying flowers…

Yeah, not really. Let’s go eat.

Cha Seong-jun entered the restaurant.

*

The next day, MXM Entertainment.

The A&R team is busy holding meetings regarding the album of Sungjun, who recently joined as a new artist.

We had a light meeting to discuss the album concept right after signing the contract on Monday, and the first song was sent right away, two days later, on Wednesday.

“Huh? You wrote a song in two days?”

All the team members were amazed by the amazing speed.

Of course, I had heard that the work was fast, but I didn’t know it was this fast.

However, since Sungjun himself, who sent the song, asked me to listen to it considering that it was a rough sketch of the song, I played the song thinking that it would be just about that level.

however,

“You said this was a rough sketch? It’s just the finished product?!”

The song that was sent as a demo is not a demo.

What more feedback is needed here?

Is this quality enough to be released right away after just mixing and mastering?

“Feedback aside, at this rate of work, it won’t even take two months to finish the album. No, even a month and a half seems more than enough.”

If an artist can produce a song of this quality at this speed, the existing A&Team plans will have to be completely revised.

From the official recording to the album cover creation and promotional marketing schedule, everything has to be brought forward by at least two weeks.

And the most urgent of these is none other than the production of a music video.

It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack to cast a famous director because his schedule is so tight.

Therefore, it is essential to coordinate schedules with the director in advance.

Well, since MXM Entertainment has the ability to create even non-existent positions, there’s no need to worry too much.

Rather, selecting the song to make the MV is more important.

And usually, the song that gets MV production is the title song of the album.

The first track sent today is ‘Jaywalking’.

And ‘Drink me like coffee’, which was decided as the second track.

It’s hard to decide which of the two should be the title.

Why? Because the quality of both is crazy!

Even if the next two songs are of the same quality as the previous two, the number of choices increases to four.

Of course, the artist’s opinion is the most important, but the A&R team is left wondering which of the four songs on the EP will be the title track.

No, maybe all four songs could be title tracks!

‘Wait, has there ever been a quadruple title before? On an EP that isn’t even a full album?’

The A&R team leader was thinking about a similar case for a moment.

“I have a question!”

Someone raised their hand and asked.

He is a new recruit who joined the team in the second half of this year.

He asked questions with the spirit of a rookie.

“Is it possible to film a music video for all four songs?”

As mentioned before, it is common to select two MVs, one for the title song and one for the comeback song.

Afterwards, there are often cases where additional MVs are produced only for songs that receive particularly good responses, but even that only applies to big idols.

The fandom that consumes it is enormous.

So, Seongjun···

‘···Huh? There is, fandom!’

There is already a fandom for ‘D.Voice’.

In addition, the fandom of number 49, Sungjun, will continue to grow as ‘Who’s the King’ continues to air.

In addition, the interest of readers of the webtoon [Reincarnation of Heavenly Horse], in which he participated as an OST,

Even though it is a cover, if you add in the viewers of the drama ‘Your House’ who also enjoyed the OST…

‘I wonder if it’s possible?’

There has never been a case where a male solo rookie has filmed multiple music videos since their debut.

So, if something like that happens…

‘This will be a first in the music industry.’

This will definitely be a huge issue.

The resulting publicity effect is too great to even dare to calculate.

Considering both the emotional and rational aspects, Sungjun’s multiple music video production was worth discussing.

If it’s difficult to make music videos for all 4 songs, at least for 2!

The A&R team leader’s eyes sparkle with anticipation.

Soon he and his team members were back in the meeting again.

The topic was ‘selecting multiple title songs and producing the corresponding MVs.’

*

I received feedback from MXM Entertainment regarding the ‘Jaywalking’ that was sent yesterday.

But it’s too light.

At best, some advice on lyrics.

I’m just wondering if it would be a good idea to replace some of the lyrics with letters that are a little easier to pronounce.

Then, he sent me the schedule, saying that I could start recording right away, so the schedule was set right away.

‘Is it always this easy and quick to record a song?’

A question briefly crossed my mind, but I decided to go with it since the experts said it was okay.

Meanwhile, I also received a call from the MCN business division regarding the Mocha Sweat case.

The PPL content upload schedule was aligned with Seol Hye-yoon’s side.

And let me tell you one thing,

– ‘Shine’ also signed an MCN contract with us this week, so coordination was easy.

Isn’t that what it is?

I was so happy that I was about to call you right away, but then I suddenly realized.

“Oh, come to think of it, it must be work hours now.”

So I just left a quick message.

– I heard that Manager Seol also signed a contract with MXM and MCN?

Then, surprisingly, a reply came quickly.

– I was going to make a surprise announcement, but I guess you already heard from MXM. Yes, I was worried about it too, but that’s what happened. Please take care of me in the future.

– Congratulations. Then we’re real coworkers again. Even though we switched from Saehyang to MXM. Oh, Manager Seol is a two-timing person.

– Both legs? Hahahahahahahaha

– I’ll correct it. Undercover.

It was clear that ‘Bangsingki’ didn’t have any [Crisis Detection] skills, but he barely managed to survive.

Seol Hye-yoon’s “Heeut (ㅎ)” had an eerie meaning, “Can I separate your neck from your torso like Heeut?”

– Underbucker isn’t that great either… Oh, by the way, Seongjun, you don’t need to call me Manager Seol anymore, do you? You’re a former employee anyway.

– Then what do you call me? Since we are fellow MCN colleagues, Shine?

– That’s a bit weird… How about just calling me by my name?

– Hyeyoon? Like this?

I sent it as a joke, but I didn’t get a reply.

Obviously, 1 disappeared right away.

Then, after a while, Seol Hye-yoon reappeared.

– Uh… um… it feels a bit different. But the person I was talking about was Hye-yoon!

– Oh, I thought you were telling me to talk to you since we’re the same age.

– Well, it’s not like you can’t call me that, but… No. It’s still Ogre. Please call me Hye-yoon.

We ended our short conversation by reorganizing the titles like that.

Afterwards, Cha Seong-jun checked his Song Coin holdings for the first time in a while.

“42 bronze coins.”

The fruits of your labor of waiting until the 50th draw to obtain a confirmed SSR grade are just around the corner.

If there hadn’t been a massive coin raid during the last promotion mission to raise all stats to level 5, I would have collected 50 of them today or tomorrow.

“Hmm, if I just get a few more missions I should be able to get it soon.”

Missions start less frequently after a promotion mission.

Maybe it’s because I’m stuck in the studio.

When that thought occurred to me, I put my guitar on and went out for a walk.

To get some fresh air and gather inspiration, like when I thought of ‘jaywalking’ a few days ago.

And today, rather than loitering around my studio, I decided to venture a little further afield.

Where are you going? Yeah, let’s go to Hangang Park.

I took the subway and arrived at the nearby Mangwon Hangang Park.

As I came out of the subway station, the sky turning yellow and red greeted me.

It was December, and the days were getting shorter, so the sunset was slowly setting.

The atmosphere is good? I’m glad I came out.

After raising the stats with ‘Bangsingki’, even visual stimuli like this turn into inspiration.

I climbed the stairs and entered the park.

As I walked along the riverbank, which was also rippling and burning red with the sunset, I saw a retired warship on display in the distance.

Then, a small crowd of people gathered in front of him comes into view.

‘What? Are we taking a commemorative selfie in front of the warship?’

As I approached, I saw that there was a busking zone set up in front of it.

So, these people had gathered to watch busking.

“Oh, busking.”

Cha Sung-jun also joined the crowd of onlookers and checked out the busking zone.

A duo, one man with a guitar and one playing a jambe, was setting up their instruments.

They opened their guitar cases and received small donations from the audience.

On a piece of cardboard that was set up at an angle was written the team name ‘Mokdu’ along with the description, ‘A duo that makes music made of wood.’

I guess it’s because the instruments he plays are acoustic guitar and jambe.

Anyway, this was a moment when I was trying to get some inspiration by watching busking.

Tiring-

Suddenly, a system message popped up.

[A special mission has arrived.]

[Go busking.]

Huh? You want me to busk? Right now?

Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter Episode 54