boyutpedia Chapter 1485 Picking up food, eating
Chapter 1485 Picking up food, eating
Chapter 1485 Picking up food, eating
As temperatures gradually rise, the March winds bring a touch of warmth into Seoul, and the clamor in the music scene intensifies.
The comeback promotion battle between XO and Wanna One has entered a heated phase. The two agencies seem to have agreed to release promotional photos and teaser videos, going back and forth without giving an inch.
Every update of their materials sparks heated discussions across the internet, firmly securing their place in the music scene's buzz.
On March 1st, SM Entertainment took the lead by releasing the first group photo and individual promotional photos for EXO's fourth full-length album title track, "DNA".
Seemingly in an attempt to make a strong first impression, the first day featured a photo of Ji Kyung-won.
In the group photo, the members are dressed in brightly colored outfits, with bright yellow, light blue, pink and purple hues interwoven, breaking away from the dullness of the previous dark colors. Each item exudes a refreshing and energetic vibe.
Their hair colors are bold and varied, with gold, silver, light blue, pink and other colors interspersed, making everyone look vibrant and dazzling, as if they have returned to their youthful appearance when they first debuted. Many people feel that they are seeing the same feeling as they did in 13 when they starred in "Growl" and "Wolf and Beauty".
Although the hair color is similar, the style is significantly more fashionable and refreshing.
In his first appearance, Ji Jingyuan wore a light-colored loose sweatshirt paired with white cargo pants, creating a refreshing and gentle overall look.
His light brown hair was slightly curled, with wisps of hair falling across his forehead, partially obscuring his eyebrows and eyes, making his features appear even softer and more youthful. He seemed untouched by time, still the clean-eyed young man he was when he first debuted.
"Help! This picture of Yuan is absolutely stunning! He exudes youthful energy. How come he still looks the same as when he first debuted after all these years?"
“Yuan is truly a concept digester; she can perfectly digest any concept or hair color.”
"Who knew that the first time we met eyes, that clear gaze would pierce through my brain and bring such a sense of salvation?"
The release of Ji Kyung-won's photos immediately sparked discussion, as EXO had indeed not had a comeback in this style for a long time.
However, while it was a pleasant surprise for Ji Kyung-won's individual fans, it wasn't entirely unexpected, as the style of his solo album "I Loved You" released last year was somewhat similar to his current work.
"He's handsome and good-looking... but why is his hair so long? I remember he cut it very short recently, is it a wig?"
In addition, the length of his hair has also sparked a lot of discussion among passersby... because in the photos, Ji Kyung-won's hair length is still relatively moderate, but recently he has been seen with very short hair.
"No need to ask, it's obvious the photos were taken a long time ago. EXO's album was originally supposed to be released at the end of last year, but something came up and it was postponed."
No special explanation is needed; the fans will explain it for them.
Before the hype had even died down, three days later on March 4th, YMC followed suit, releasing individual promotional photos for Wanna One's second mini-album, "0+1=1 (I PROMISE YOU)," which contrasted sharply with EXO's youthful and refreshing image, pushing the promotional battle to a new climax.
In the released photos, the four members are in a magnificent room, wearing colored contact lenses, each striking a cool and handsome pose with a wicked smile, exuding a noble and kingly aura. Their clothing is also mature and gorgeous, radiating a dangerous aura that is incompatible with their age.
The release of the photos surprised many people. As senior artists who have been in the industry for many years, EXO's album title track looks youthful, fresh, energetic, bright, and cheerful with a touch of hip-hop style.
Wanna One, however, is actually a more mature and sexy type, which creates a rather comical contrast.
Wanna One's fans naturally showered them with compliments, praising them with phrases like "full of mature charm," "this is what a boy group should be like," "newly crowned visual icons," and "absolutely stunning."
Over the next few days, the two companies seemed to be competing, releasing individual photos of one member each day, going back and forth without showing any weakness.
The online discussions have never stopped. Netizens argue every day about whose photos are better, whose looks are more striking, and whose style is more eye-catching. They criticize everything from makeup and clothing to temperament and aura, creating a lively and exciting atmosphere.
Passersby brought out their small stools and watched the whole thing, expressing their amazement:
"Kpop hasn't been this lively in a long time!"
Just as EXO and Wanna One were dominating the internet and trending topics, JYP quietly released individual promotional photos for GOT7's new album.
Unfortunately, the promotional momentum of the two top boy groups was too strong, and they stole all the attention. After GOT7's individual photos were released, almost no one paid attention to them, the comment section was sparse, and they didn't even get a chance to trend on social media, making it seem particularly deserted.
In stark contrast to the excitement on the other side, fans could only jokingly say, "Let's focus on ourselves and take care of our own things."
While the promotional campaign for the boy band's comeback is in full swing, several news stories have also broken out in the entertainment industry, breaking the singular focus of the music scene.
The most talked-about event was a notice from the South Korean Ministry of Education... demanding that Kyung Hee University revoke Jung Yong-hwa's doctoral admission and withdraw Jo Kwon's master's degree.
It has been revealed that Jung Yong-hwa was admitted to Kyung Hee University's doctoral program in Applied Arts despite missing the interview; while Jo Kwon was found to have illegally obtained a master's degree from Kyung Hee University in 2015 without holding a graduation performance as required.
This infuriated the people of the Korean Peninsula, who place great importance on academic qualifications. The incident also caused a huge uproar in the entertainment industry, with netizens discussing and criticizing the academic misconduct of celebrities.
And Ji Kyung-won was mentioned again, praised by fans as a positive example... Although his undergraduate degree from Yonsei University is not considered very high, it is already top-notch in the entertainment industry. Moreover, he graduated without any fraud or shortcuts.
...The only problem might be that his score wasn't particularly high when he enrolled, but this minor flaw was quickly smoothed over by his second brother.
At the same time, news of Park Shin-hye and Choi Tae-joon's relationship was also exposed by the media. After the news broke, both agencies quickly confirmed the relationship, and fans sent their blessings. Some fans also expressed surprise. For a time, the news of the two's relationship became a hot topic among netizens.
...Chi Jingyuan naturally knew about this a long time ago, and even had a meal with the two of them some time ago.
Time flies, and it's already March 7th. SM Entertainment has once again pulled out all the stops, releasing the teaser trailer for EXO's fourth full-length album title track, "DNA".
In the scene, Chi Kyung-won appears and slowly walks towards the camera, snapping his fingers and whistling a cheerful tune. The whistling melody is bright and casual, with a touch of unintentional playfulness. Accompanied by a light acoustic guitar, it instantly sets a bright and cheerful youthful tone for the entire trailer.
The entire trailer was very short, only a few dozen seconds long, and each member only made a brief appearance. The melody of the song was not revealed much.
Only when Chi Jingyuan appeared did he hum a melody and whistle softly; those few seconds were the essence and conclusion of the entire trailer.
In that brief moment, with just a quick glimpse of his face and a whistle, he instantly captivated the eyes and ears of all the fans watching the trailer.
The trailer quickly went viral and trended on social media, with #EXOnewsong and #YuanWhistle topping the discussion charts.
"Ahhhhhh, EXO is back in triumph!!"
"I love this style so much, every member looks so handsome."
"Nine people, nine different hair colors, standing there together, I feel like they look like rainbow candies, kiyo~"
"Isn't this the style of 'I Loved'? Back when Yuansolo was around, a lot of people said he was particularly suited to this style. Did you just transplant it directly this time? I have to say, it really does suit him."
"After watching the whole trailer, the only thing I remembered was Yuan's whistling. It was so catchy, and it's still echoing in my head."
"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
"You blew the wrong tune, it should be 'shh shh shh~' 'shh shh
…………
"Come on, the cake is here!"
With a commotion, Kim Heechul and Kim Kibum walked in together carrying a cake. Ji Kyungwon stood up, clapped, and laughed along with them, while Kim Tae-yeon, standing in the main seat, smiled broadly.
Today is March 9th. After a lot of promotion from EXO and Wanna One, things have gotten really intense. Tomorrow is the day EXO will officially release their album and make their comeback.
However, Ji Kyung-won didn't seem nervous about his upcoming comeback today; instead, he was attending a party organized by Kim Tae-yeon.
...Today is this sister's birthday. Kim Tae-yeon contacted Ji Kyung-won and a few friends a week in advance to get together. Ji Kyung-won was of course fine with it. These past few days, he has been preparing for his comeback, practicing dance repeatedly, and shooting various materials, which has made him feel a bit tired. This gathering is a good opportunity for him to relax.
Moreover, since Jonghyun's incident, his group of friends from SM Entertainment haven't had many gatherings. Even when they do eat, it's always in small groups, as if they've developed some kind of psychological trauma.
This time, Kim Tae-yeon took the initiative to organize something for her birthday, which can be considered as her officially stepping out of the past.
The gathering was held in an elegant restaurant. The private room was decorated in a warm and lively style, with small balloons hanging on the walls and exquisite tableware and flowers on the table.
Im Yoon-ah, Lee Soon-kyu, Kim Hee-chul, Kim Ki-bum, it's still the same group of people.
The protagonist, Kim Tae-yeon, stood in the main seat. Today, she was dressed particularly eye-catchingly, wearing a polo shirt, her long hair loosely tied back, revealing her delicate collarbone, and a small and cute birthday hat on her head. The little pom-pom on the brim swayed gently, making her look particularly playful.
It can be summed up in one word: youth!
Kim Heechul and Kim Kibum walked in together carrying a large birthday cake with several candles on it and the number '29' written on it in jam.
When Chi Kyung-won saw the large number 29, he glanced at Kim Tae-yeon and sensed that she seemed to furrow her brow slightly the moment she saw it.
He felt a sudden urge to laugh.
Everyone immediately stood up, clapped, and cheered. Chi Jingyuan also quickly clapped with a smile, his eyes full of laughter.
What should I write about 29?
Let's just write 30 directly.
"Happy birthday~" Accompanied by a cheerful birthday song, everyone sang along loudly. Kim Tae-yeon stood in front of the cake, pretending to be a child, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes to make a wish. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes, her eyes shining, and puffed out her cheeks to blow a strong breath.
"Whoa whoa whoa!!" Everyone around immediately shouted enthusiastically, and Chi Jingyuan also clapped vigorously with a smile.
Kim Tae-yeon didn't say exactly what she wished for, but Ji Kyung-won guessed it was most likely... to change the 29 on the cake to 19.
"Thank you everyone for coming to my birthday party. I'm really happy today. Cheers!"
"cheers!"
Under Kim Tae-yeon's guidance, everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together gently. The crisp sound of the glasses clinking, mixed with everyone's laughter, brought the atmosphere in the private room to its peak.
After the candles were blown out and the cake was cut, everyone sat down to eat. The atmosphere remained casual and relaxed, without the pretense of being in front of the camera or the constraints of status. Everyone said whatever they wanted, eating, chatting, and joking around.
As we chatted, the topic turned to the recently concluded Paris Fashion Week.
"...Jingyuan, I heard your contract with GUCCI has expired. How are the renewal negotiations going?"
Kim Tae-yeon, holding her chopsticks, looked at Ji Kyung-won and asked with concern, "Won't there be any problems?"
"She definitely renewed her contract, unnie."
Before Chi Jingyuan could speak, Lim Yoona interrupted, "You have no idea what status Jingyuan has with GUCCI now."
In comparison, although Kim Tae-yeon is also interested in fashion, her physical appearance has limited her ambition. She was discouraged several times in the process of pursuing her goals, and gradually lost interest. On the other hand, Im Yoon-ah values this path very much and knows more about it.
"The negotiations are almost complete."
Chi Jingyuan was straightforward, simply stating, "It should be officially announced soon."
"By the way, Jingyuan, I heard you're still in talks with Louis Vuitton about a collaboration? They invited you to this fashion show, right?"
Kim Kibum put down his wine glass and asked curiously, "I heard from Minho that when you went to Fashion Week, you were received by LV."
"Ah."
Chi Jingyuan nodded: "This trip was actually about this, besides the contract renewal. LV has mentioned wanting to cooperate several times... We actually made contact a long time ago, but we're only just starting formal negotiations now."
"A collaboration? Just take the title directly?"
"Hmm, it should be a spokesperson."
Chi Jingyuan nodded slightly, not hiding anything, since it wouldn't be a secret within the company in a few days anyway.
Although he didn't boast, he couldn't hide a hint of arrogance in his tone... He really didn't rely on his family much to break into the European and American fashion circles and forge his own path.
What makes him valued by these top European luxury brands is his popularity, market value, and his own hard work and achievements.
This is also what makes him feel gratified.
"Directly to the highest level? What about GUCCI?"
Kim Tae-yeon looked surprised and subconsciously asked again.
"We'll cooperate too."
"Together?"
"Ah."
Chi Jingyuan nodded, picked up a piece of food, and tasted it.
Hmm, it's a bit salty.
The private room fell silent for a few seconds. Then, Yoona was the first to react, and her cheers were the loudest: "Wow! Ji Jingyuan, you've really become a Jackie Chan! A spokesperson for two top luxury brands, you're going to make history!"
"Tsk tsk, it's hard for anyone else in the industry to even get a title these days."
"Jingyuan paved the way for everything."
Others also expressed their feelings.
"Yoona noona, you're trying to flatter me to death~"
Chi Jingyuan noticed a hint of jealousy in the woman's eyes and couldn't help but laugh: "Didn't you also collaborate with Versace? You were even invited to the show this time!"
"It's just the initial negotiation right now, there's no cooperation yet, we even have to rent our own clothes."
Yoona was a little discouraged: "I thought it would be enough for the company to get the resources, but they said they need to do an evaluation, and I have to wear the brand's clothes in public and help with promotion, but who knows how long the evaluation will take..."
During a private gathering with friends, Yoona lost her polished and tactful demeanor from the camera, revealing a more genuine side and even starting to complain.
"The evaluation period for luxury brand titles is quite long. It took me one or two years back then."
Chi Jingyuan nodded, his tone carrying a hint of comfort: "But now that the Kpop market has grown and there are more collaborations, it shouldn't be that long."
"Cut~"
Kim Tae-yeon watched as Im Yoon-ah and Ji Kyung-won chatted about fashion, unable to join in at all. She couldn't help but gently shake her feet, which were just touching the ground while sitting on the stool, and pouted in annoyance.
The group continued eating and chatting, and the topics broadened, ranging from the fashion industry to their personal lives.
For example, Kim Heechul got a new girlfriend, who is a rookie girl group idol, and Kim Kibum also changed girlfriends, who are not in the entertainment industry.
After finishing their conversation, they turned to Chi Jingyuan and asked him about his recent relationship status and whether he had a new girlfriend. When Chi Jingyuan heard this question, an unexpected face subconsciously popped into his mind.
He quickly regained his composure, gave a forced smile, and brushed it off with a few perfunctory words.
Seeing this, the others didn't press further, just laughed and joked a few times before changing the subject. The conversation eventually turned to Chi Kyung-won's new drama, "The Spy."
"Jingyuan, how's filming 'The Spy' going? When will it wrap up?" Lin Yoona asked.
"If all goes well this month, we can wrap up filming."
"Wow, I'm really looking forward to it!"
Yoona said earnestly, and even revealed a little bit: "I heard that many people in the industry are actually paying attention to this drama."
"Oh, why?" Kim Tae-yeon asked curiously.
"Jingyuan's drama is not produced by the three major TV stations, nor by cable channels like tvN. It is a collaboration with Netflix and will not be broadcast on TV. It will be directly available on streaming media."
Yoona patiently explained, revealing the inside story circulating in the industry recently: "This model is actually quite rare here. Netflix hasn't been doing well in the peninsula these past two years, and it's quite rejected by the industry."
But Netflix has money and is willing to invest resources and money, so many people are paying attention to the direction of this show.
"Jingyuan's drama is the one that Netflix has invested the most in and the most hype in since it came to the Peninsula. If it is successful, I estimate that many artists and agencies will consider cooperating with Netflix in the future, which can be regarded as opening up a new way out."
"So that's how it is..."
Kim Tae-yeon suddenly realized: "Then I definitely have to take a look then."
"If I don't work this hard, then you won't watch the movies I make?"
Chi Kyung-won pretended to be heartbroken.
"Tch, your movie is about perverts, and I don't like perverts."
Kim Tae-yeon haughtily raised her head and glanced at him.
"Not necessarily, unnie~"
Lim Yoona chuckled, her tone clearly teasing.
Kim Tae-yeon was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant. She immediately got angry and reached out to slap Lim Yoon-a. Lim Yoon-a laughed and dodged, and laughter rang out again in the private room.
"...By the way, isn't the hottest topic lately Jingyuan, your EXO, and Wanna One?"
Kim Kibum put down his chopsticks, and the topic circled back to the promotional battles in the music industry: "Wanna One really dares to go head-to-head with EXO, they're too bold, aren't they?"
"We'd known each other for a long time!"
Kim Heechul, always eager to stir up trouble, revealed: "A fight broke out in our area a couple of days ago!"
"The internet is full of discussions about the two companies right now. I was scrolling through my phone yesterday and saw a lot of people who actually think Wanna One can win. It's ridiculous."
"However, this group is indeed very popular recently."
"Jingyuan, are you confident you can win?"
Kim Ki-bum asked, "I think Wanna One is doing really well."
"Oppa, that's a redundant question."
Yoona waved her hand and glanced at Ji Kyung-won: "Do you see even the slightest bit of worry in him?"
He can't even be bothered to mention it.
The senior pursed his lips, his tone carrying a certain certainty, as if he knew Chi Jingyuan very well: "You guys don't understand him? It's obvious you don't take him seriously at all."
"hehe"
Chi Jingyuan squinted his eyes and chuckled, offering no rebuttal.
Pick up some food and eat.
……
The next day, March 10th, was sunny and bright.
At 6:00 PM, EXO's fourth full-length album, "THE WAR," was officially released.