boyutpedia Chapter 132: Year-End (9)
Chapter 132: Year-End (9)
Kang Rojun, Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung entered the main conference room, where CEO Ha Seo-hwan, executives, and team leaders from each department had gathered."Hello-"
"Good afternoon-"
Perhaps feeling awkward due to the heavy atmosphere, the members gave half-hearted greetings. Rojun also glanced at the gathered employees and greeted them appropriately. Seeing them, CEO Ha Seo-hwan gave a faint smile.
"I called you here. You must be in the middle of intense practice, so I apologize for the interruption."
The voice came from behind Rojun and the members. A rather weak tone.
"No- it's okay."
It was the voice of Manager Kim Ki-baek. He peeked his head through the them, and CEO Ha Seo-hwan, still smiling, asked him,
"Manager Kim, you're adapting quickly."
"I'm struggling as best I can."
"I have high expectations."
"Ah- um, yes."
Manager Kim Ki-baek gave an odd reply and whispered just loud enough for only the boys to hear.
"Though I hope the expectations are kept reasonable. Right?"
Kang Rojun replied in a lower voice.
"Just say it. Clearly."
"Is there any reason to get expelled right after transferring? Especially in front of CEO Ha Seo-hwan, we really have to watch our mouths."
"He's an amazing person, right?"
"Well- in this industry, he's a legend, a legend. He's also my role model."
Rojun slowly nodded and fixed his gaze on CEO Ha Seo-hwan. CEO Ha leisurely crossed his legs and nodded to a few staff members. Extra chairs were quickly set up in front of Rojun and the members.
"Sit down."
Despite the aura he gave off, CEO Ha Seo-hwan spoke quite gently as he addressed the A&R team staff standing at the front.
"It’s a bit of trouble, but please repeat the briefing you gave us for the members too."
"Ah, yes, understood!"
Then CEO Ha Seo-hwan turned his head toward Kang Rojun.
"We were in the process of deciding your group name. But I was curious about what the members themselves thought."
Ah, so that’s why we were called. Kang Rojun muttered inwardly and noticed the letters displayed on the screen in front. It had a distinctly professional feel.
'Group name candidates and- explanations written there?'
Then-
'Ah!!'
Rojun spotted something that included his own thoughts.
-[GreenBee: A suggestion from member Rojun in the past. A pure Korean word meaning ‘a longed-for man’.]
A nameless sense of embarrassment surged within him.
'I mean, having it posted up there like that is a bit... awkward. It's not great. I thought it was okay back then.'
Manager Kim Ki-baek, sitting beside him, chimed in.
"GreenBee- when I first saw it, I thought it was some kind of green bee? But turns out it’s a pure Korean word."
Stop it, please. Rojun screamed inwardly in embarrassment just as the staff member continued the briefing on each group name candidate. Rojun, Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung all listened attentively. Meanwhile, Kang Rojun looked at the group name candidates on the screen with admiration.
'As expected, when professionals get involved, the group names really are, on a different level. Well, of course they are.'
GN Entertainment was a major company and must have gone through this process countless times. The group name he had casually come up with was nowhere near comparable. So were they supposed to pick one from these candidates? Rojun carefully mulled over each listed group name while listening to the explanations.
'Hmm-'
All the group names were usable, and their meanings were stylish, but for Kang Rojun.
'I think Vanguard is super cool.'
One group name particularly stood out. Vanguard.
'It rolls off the tongue nicely, but more than that, I like the meaning.'
It gave off a unique image, along with a sense of charisma leading at the forefront of trends and everything else. Kang Rojun glanced at the members seated around him. He wondered what they were thinking.
At that moment.
"That’s all."
The staff's explanation ended. At some point, CEO Ha Seo-hwan had taken off his suit jacket and threw a question at Kang Rojun and the members.
"Which one do you like, or even if there’s none you like, feel free to say so. I’ll give you time to think if you need it."
Then, making eye contact with Rojun.
"Rojun, since it’s your idea, 'GreenBee'?"
Kang Rojun immediately shook his head.
"No."
"Then?"
"'GreenBee' just popped out casually, that's all."
For no reason, Kang Rojun rubbed his chin lightly and said what he liked right away.
“I like ‘Vanguard.’”
“...And the reason?”
“It’s just, it feels like it suits us well. The meaning behind it.”
Then Si-hoo, with wide eyes, chimed in.
“Oh! Me too.”
Followed by Kang-min.
“We’re in sync. I liked ‘Vanguard’ the most too.”
Do-kyung also shared the same sentiment as Rojun.
“‘Vanguard’, even sounds hip.”
Though they hadn’t particularly shared their thoughts beforehand, all four of them felt the same. Kang Rojun looked around at the members, wondering if they were serious, but their eyes were honest. Seeing that, CEO Ha Seo-hwan smiled with the charm of a refined middle-aged man.
“Then the group name is settled, ‘Vanguard’.”
From the team leaders to the executives, some looked a bit surprised as they glanced at CEO Ha Seo-hwan. Their expressions said, “That’s it? Just like that without further discussion?” Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung had similar reactions.
‘Is- is this really okay??!’
Rather than feeling shocked, Kang Rojun mentally gave the CEO a thumbs up.
‘He’s got such a cool, decisive personality.’
Regardless, CEO Ha Seo-hwan gave instructions to everyone.
“The group name is confirmed as ‘Vanguard'. Proceed accordingly. However.”
He designated the day ‘Vanguard’ would be revealed.
“It would be best to reveal ‘Vanguard’ on stage.”
A little later.
Once the meeting ended, CEO Ha Seo-hwan left, followed by the staff and executives. Rojun and the boys no, the members of ‘Vanguard’ also exited. Manager Kim Ki-baek remained in the meeting room, apparently needing to speak with other teams.
Soon, as Kang Rojun came out into the hallway, Manager Kim Ki-baek called to him.
“Rojun.”
Kang Rojun turned around, and Manager Kim Ki-baek whispered to him in his usual weak tone.
“‘GreenBee’ didn’t make it as the group name, but I didn’t think it was bad.”
There’s really no need to comfort me... Rojun felt a fresh wave of embarrassment.
“As I said earlier, that one was just something I said casually.”
“Yeah, yeah, I heard it was just a passing idea. But- still, I feel like it’s a bit of a waste. ‘GreenBee', a man one longs for. It’s interesting, and it’s a pure Korean word.”
“That’s true.”
“What if you used it not as a group name, but as a song title later?”
“As a song title?”
“Yes. It could work for storytelling too. It was almost the group name before ‘Vanguard', but ended up as the title of a song called ‘GreenBee’.”
Thinking it wasn’t a bad idea, Kang Rojun clapped inwardly with both hands.
‘Not bad at all?’
Unaware of this reaction, Manager Kim Ki-baek shrugged.
“Think about it.”
Then, with his usual drained aura, Manager Kim Ki-baek went back into the meeting room. At that point, Kang Rojun thought,
‘Hmm, ‘GreenBee’ huh-’
And recalled the upcoming composition task for a dance track.
The next morning at GN Entertainment.
From early in one of the practice rooms, singing could be heard.
-♬♪
Judging by the song being ‘Bold’, it was obvious that the people inside were Kang Rojun and the members. The four of them had started practice early in the morning, before even all the GN Entertainment employees had arrived. Outside the practice room, Manager Kim Ki-baek and a few staff members were waiting.
Today, Manager Kim Ki-baek was wearing a long padded coat. He leaned lightly against the wall and gave a weak smile to the other employees.
“Um- let’s wait just a little longer. I don’t want to interrupt the kids’ practice.”
A few minutes later, once the music inside stopped, Manager Kim Ki-baek finally moved. The other staff members followed. When the practice room door opened, Kang Rojun and the members, slightly out of breath, turned their heads. Rojun glanced not at Manager Kim Ki-baek, but at the staff behind him.
‘Cameras??’
About two out of the five people were holding cameras. Then Manager Kim Ki-baek addressed the members.
“We’ll be launching the ‘Vanguard’ YouTube channel soon. These people here are the team for the ‘Vanguard’ YouTube channel.”
The members and Kang Rojun bowed politely. The staff did the same. In the meantime, Rojun became curious about the YouTube channel he’d only heard of before.
‘Oh- a YouTube channel just for us??’
Of course, Kang Rojun had seen them before. Music videos and clips from popular idols easily hit millions of views, sometimes even tens of millions. Manager Kim Ki-baek continued his explanation.
“For today, it’s just a simple greeting to the fans? That, and we’ll film a bit of your practice. Also, I think it’d be nice to include you having lunch a bit later.”
Eating? Why film that? Kang Rojun tilted his head and asked.
“They film stuff like that too?”
Manager Kim Ki-baek made a light eating gesture.
“Things like that surprisingly go over well with fans. Just a simple eating scene can create relatability and give a fuller dimension to your daily lives.”
“Ah-”
“Think of it as a form of communication. Start small, and then at some point, hit with something strong. There needs to be a rhythm to video uploads too.”
Kang Rojun and the members didn’t fully get it at the moment, but figured they’d understand someday. Soon, the YouTube team staff finished setting up the cameras. Interestingly, they were installed not in front of the members, but behind them. This too was part of Manager Kim Ki-baek’s intention.
“We’re going to show your backs while practicing, give it a teaser vibe.”
Since it was a simple shoot, it didn’t take long. Once the members gathered again, Manager Kim Ki-baek told them when to expect the YouTube channel to launch.
“We’ll of course be filming your congratulatory performance at the SBC Acting Awards, and I think the YouTube channel will probably launch after that.”
He then looked at Kang Rojun, who was dressed casually.
“Of course, we’ll need to upload Rojun’s red carpet walk in a tuxedo, right?”
Around early afternoon.
The A&R team, in charge of everything from planning to the public launch of the group. Within that, the staff assigned specifically to ‘Vanguard', which was finalized yesterday, called in Si-hoo separately. As a result, Si-hoo, who had been practicing with the members, arrived at the meeting room.
-Swish.
Sitting down with a slightly awkward face, the dedicated team staff smiled and asked him,
“Si-hoo-nim, we’re planning to start collecting songs soon. You’re known for your excellent composition skills, right?”
The A&R team already held Si-hoo’s composing abilities in high regard. Not only ‘Witch’, but also the acoustic version and ‘Bold’ from ‘Produce That 100!’ had clearly proven his skills. They had also confirmed this with PD Woo Han-suk.
“Even the fans of ‘Produce That 100!’ praised your songwriting without reservation.”
At the sudden compliment, Si-hoo’s earlobes turned red. Normally, the old Si-hoo would’ve waved his hands and denied it, but in that brief moment, Kang Rojun’s advice flashed through his mind.
'Hyung, you should be more confident. You’re seriously amazing. When it’s time to nod, just nod.'
Resolving himself, Si-hoo opened his mouth.
“I also think... some of what I write is pretty good.”
“...Sorry?”
Trying something he wasn’t used to, Si-hoo stumbled over his words and quickly corrected himself.
“Ah, ahaha! I think I write well!”
“Haha, yes, yes. We definitely agree. Manager Kim Ki-baek does too. So actually, we were thinking of including some of your songs in the collection for ‘Vanguard’.”
Si-hoo’s eyes widened.
“...My songs??”
“Yes.”
Song collection. Once an idol’s group name and concept are set, the next step is deciding the songs for the debut album. They either receive submissions from numerous composers or request specific ones based on the concept. It’s a complex process, but for a top-tier company like GN Entertainment, the nation’s best composers line up.
Out of all the submitted songs, at most five would be selected.
Still, if a song gets picked, it will proudly be part of ‘Vanguard’s’ debut album. The fact that they were reviewing Si-hoo’s songs meant he had a real opportunity.
Si-hoo, frozen from the shock, remained still until a staff member continued.
“There’s no pressure. Just because we include your songs doesn’t mean they’re automatically confirmed. They’ll have to match ‘Vanguard’s’ concept, and there are many factors to consider. But we really want to listen.”
“...I-I’ve composed quite a lot. Should I give you everything??”
“Yes, of course. You can give us all of them, or you can screen them and hand over a selection first. But we’d really like to hear them all, if possible.”
It felt like a dream, but Si-hoo managed to respond.
“Yes... understood.”
“Once it’s organized, please pass it through Manager Kim.”
Suddenly, Si-hoo thought of Kang Rojun.
“Oh!! Rojun has also started composing!”
The staff’s brows twitched.
“Rojun-nim is composing too? Since when?”