Chapter 156

===================

Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

Since obtaining the ‘A Catching Ear’ trait, which amplified the ability to recognize good songs, I don’t think I have almost ever failed in selecting songs.

In that sense, I would say that the chorus of this song Gold 1 sent as their title track this time… was really good.

I wasn’t talking about completeness or artistic aspects. It just meant that it was a song that stuck in the head even after hearing it once.

It was extreme public appeal.

‘Damn it.’

Of course, there was still no possibility that TeSTAR would be pushed back in results.

However, the problem was that it seemed like people who would say nonsense would appear.

‘Now is not a situation where I can tolerate that.’

First of all… the current atmosphere of TeSTAR’s new album, ‘Chakho-gapsa (捉虎甲士)’, was like this.

Priority was the critic rating of four stars on the most famous music review site in Korea.

It was the first four-star rating among new idol releases this year.

========================

Aesthetics of Balance.

To achieve harmony, they must be different from each other. From the Moombahton of to the Synth-pop of , various dishes were woven with the ingredients of traditional instruments, and the point was marked on the title , sublimating it into a full-course meal.

In the recent trend filled with singles and minis, the boldness of attempting consecutive regular albums with a interval of less than half a year was equipped with structured evidence.

…….

========================

The entirety of the criticism was ‘the craftsmanship is obsessive and the structure of the title is typical’, which was added in the second half.

The critics praised it more than imagined. Naturally, it was helpful for the group’s status.

Furthermore, the overseas reaction was also clear.

As clear achievements appeared in music video views, album sales, and global music sites, love calls from overseas started to come in.

Right away, performance schedules for semi-major English-speaking talk shows and Japanese morning broadcasts have already been set.

Even though it was an extreme performance song and far from easy-listening, the domestic chart results were also good.

‘It was 4th just now.’

From what I heard from the company, the influx of official fandom members was accelerating even more than the last album, and we would be seeing the benefits of that clearly.

So to summarize all these indicators, this activity was a golden opportunity to grab both commerciality and artistry and soar into a stable top-tier position.

In short, it meant that we were just about to throw open the door to the start of a crazy heyday.

But here, think about the Gold 1 group, namely Golden Age, releasing simultaneously and clinging to TeSTAR, and even bringing out a terribly good song.

‘Statements like “The song is better for Golden Age, but TeSTAR won with fan power” will definitely come out.’

In short, it meant that the ‘hype’ in the perception of fans and the public would deflate.

The risk that the reputation of the image TeSTAR was just about to obtain, ‘a trending group that does well in all directions’, would be reduced to ‘a male idol group with a large fandom’ was already visible.

Entry into the top tier was right before us, so I wanted to decline being held back here.

‘We have to go on a large-scale tour.’

To avoid the status abnormality of sudden death, TeSTAR’s momentum shouldn’t fade until the next comeback.

‘I have to make the public opinion continue to highly evaluate TeSTAR’s current album.’

After pondering, I quickly reached a conclusion.

‘The answer is national pride.’

I had to make the common denominator TeSTAR had with the domestic public something to be proud of. Just to the extent that it didn’t feel artificial and excessive to the point of causing repulsion.

I gave a short sigh and replied to Gold 1’s message late. It was after several people had already posted answers.

[It’s an easy-to-listen and good song. Congratulations, Hyung.]

I sent it cleanly and without fluff so that it couldn’t be used strangely by that company if by any chance.

Gold 1 was just grateful.

[Ha Iljun (Hyung): ㅠㅠ Thank you guys!]

[Ha Iljun (Hyung): Ha, I hope the reaction is good… I should try hard]

As if he were a bit anxious, Gold 1 shared a few words of conversation and then ended the conversation with a joke.

[Ha Iljun (Hyung): When we meet at a music show next week, can you sign a CD for me…? My younger sister is trying to kill me]

But an hour or two later, the group message room rang again.

[Ha Iljun (Hyung): Guys, I’m really ashamed, but could I say in an interview or somewhere like that this week that you praised the song by any chance?]

[Ha Iljun (Hyung): No, it’s scary because they keep asking questions to make us fight]

[Ha Iljun (Hyung): Ah, I keep getting like that despite the difference in weight class between God-STAR and us, so my heart is trembling… Save me]

Look at them.

‘That won’t do.’

Even if he himself were sincere, there was no way to know how that company would use it.

‘Golden Age’s new song acknowledged even by their competitor TeSTAR’ — wasn’t it perfect to do media play with a line like that?

I quickly typed a message before the other guys could reply.

[Would it be okay? Hyung, I’m worried that it might go in the direction of saying that the title was leaked to another group through connections from Idol Inc. if by any chance.]

Then, a private talk arrived immediately after.

[Big Sejin: lol Good]

As expected, were you not replying on purpose?

And without Big Sejin even needing to chime in and set the mood, a terrified reply from Gold 1 came back right away.

[Ha Iljun (Hyung): Heol, that could happen; Thank you, Moondae-ya. This damn company was out of its mind and almost sold me out]

‘So the company’s advice was right.’

As expected, they weren’t ordinary bastards.

Since the difference in weight class was already so great, Gold 1 didn’t seem to have any sense of checking TeSTAR in the first place, but he clearly seemed to trust the company.

‘I’m jealous.’

It really contrasted with this place.

I held back a sigh and called the company.

‘I’ll have to request the date exactly too.’

Simply… checking everything one by one was the way to avoid being stabbed in the back by the company.

* * *

The week after Park Moondae checked Golden Age’s title track.

A reaction video was uploaded to a large WeTube channel.

Because it was a channel famous for producing interesting reactions by creating unique situations, appearances by celebrities have been frequent recently.

But it was the first time for people in this field to appear.

[Traditional Musicians Who Watched the Latest K-POP (feat. TeSTAR) | NAYA]

It was exactly the appearance of people who do traditional Korean music.

The video was filmed one for each cast member and was edited by connecting the cuts.

[Hello. I am traditional vocalist Baek Jubin.]

[I had a gayageum solo recital at the National Gugak Center last year.]

[The most recent performance was… Cheoyongmu?]

After briefly introducing the traces of the artists with reference materials, the video started with simple questions and answers.

[NAYA: Do you listen to K-POP by any chance?]

[I roughly know the famous ones.]

[No.]

[Yes. I like it.]

They showed various reactions, but the evaluation emphasized in the video was this.

[I guess it’s quite different from the music I usually do.]

Then the channel production team opened a laptop and had the traditional musicians watch a music video.

Precisely, it was the teaser.

[NAYA: I’m going to introduce a K-POP music video that is currently on the real-time popular video ranking.]

[Hmm… should I just watch it?]

[One, ten, hundred, thousand… the unit for this is ten million, wow.]

[3, 2, 1, I’m pressing it.]

*Click.*

Soon, the video was transmitted along on a small screen.

It was exactly the teaser for TeSTAR’s new song.

[Oh, this?]

And the traditional musicians… started laughing from the moment Seon Ahyun’s solo song came out.

[So that’s why you showed it!]

[It’s a gayageum.]

Of course, the elements excluding the main instrument were extremely close to K-POP, but still, the traditional musicians found it quite interesting.

[They used it very smartly.]

[Somewhat… they also mixed those things into the movements. There are arm movements used in Taepyeongmu.]

[Wow, he’s really handsome! Someone like him should have come to our side (?).]

But as Cha Yujin’s solo song followed immediately after, the reaction became slightly stronger.

[It wasn’t the end??]

[Oh, this person is also very cool! The kkaenggwari suits him very well!]

[…Wait, the length of this video is… one moment.]

[NAYA: Please continue watching. (Laughs)]

The traditional musicians got to appreciate all of the first verses of the solo songs of each TeSTAR member that followed.

Along with the visual beauty overflowing with capital.

[Oh…….]

The reaction that started just to be appropriately polite at first became stronger as they gradually became immersed in the video.

Especially, at the moment when the traditional instruments of each solo song were piled up and made the title, the most intense reaction exploded.

[Wow!!]

[Ah, so this is all a part of it!]

[How on earth did you think of such a thing??]

[Since the places where these instruments are originally used are different, there probably won’t be any cases where they are all used together… oh, it’s very fresh.]

[NAYA: They say it was an opinion given by these friends themselves while making the song.]

[Really impressive!]

And the moment Ryu Chungwoo appeared, they eventually became immersed even in the story.

[Is he a monster? Earlier in the book, a monster…….]

[Hmm~ I get it. Look. For now, this friend is a gumiho.]

[Is that so? …Ah, then isn’t that friend at the very front Cheoyong by any chance? I think that’s right.]

Then the channel production team made a bombshell declaration.

[NAYA: Why don’t you ask them directly?]

[Yes??]

And the TeSTAR members appeared from outside the screen.

[Park Moondae: Hello. I am Park Moondae of TeSTAR.]

[Cha Yujin: Hello! I am Cha Yujin. It’s TeSTAR!]

[Oh my god!]

The TeSTAR members appeared one or two at a time for each video and sat across from the traditional musician.

And they produced a fun and warm appearance with the astonished traditional musicians.

[Ah, I enjoyed watching the video so much!]

[Truly… it was like a genius. The best.]

[You’re even more handsome in person.]

[I, by any chance… are your eyes really a bit uncomfortable…….]

[Bae Sejin: ???? Ah, no…. I am, well, I used to be a child actor…….]

[Ahhh! What to do, I’m sorry! Your acting in covering your eyes was so realistic!]

The familiarity and fun provided by the raw reactions coming from being flustered with each other flowed for a long time.

And at the end, it leaned slightly towards a somewhat touching and serious story.

[In fact, as we continue this work, we also get the feeling that we are becoming distant from the public. Thank you for showing such a wonderful fusion.]

[Park Moondae: We are the ones who were able to know and use that traditional instruments make such a wonderful sound thanks to you. Thank you very much.]

[Let’s both do our best!]

[Cha Yujin: Good! Let’s hug!]

And so as not to have the lingering feeling be too heavy, the situation ended by adding a bit of gag.

[Cha Yujin: But I’m actually an American! I like the kkaenggwari!]

[????]

The traditional musician had a confused face.

[Th-that’s good……. Even foreigners like it (?)]

The video ended like that.

And as if it were natural, as soon as the video was uploaded, it quickly gained tens and hundreds of thousands of views and took its place among popular domestic videos.

And it wasn’t just this video.

TeSTAR performed on a stage while wearing Hanbok in full-fledged on a WeTube channel specializing in choreography videos, and also appeared in a public broadcast entertainment teaser while playing the traditional instruments they were each in charge of.

It was emphasizing the appeal points of this album at a level that appropriately suited the content and wasn’t excessive.

After thus diligently laying the groundwork with a nuance like ‘TeSTAR informs about our country’s traditional music’.

The agency started to explode articles about TeSTAR’s overseas schedule on the portal main.

It was a bomb dropped just as the first week of activity for the Gold 1 group was barely starting.

The work was successful.

And in any case, they couldn’t even sit in a terrifying position like ‘a symbolic group representing Korea’ with just this much. Because VTIC existed.

However, not everything flowed as expected.

* * *

TeSTAR’s first overseas schedule shoot for this activity.

The backstage, which would normally be busy with various checks, was a mess of urgency and worry.

“Kim Raebin!”

“Are you okay??”

“I-I don’t kno…….”

Kim Raebin, whose face had turned pale, reached out to his right foot and then hurriedly pulled it away. It was clear that the pain was severe.

“Raebin-ah, don’t touch your foot.”

“Is there a kit??”

“Let me take a look!”

The staff hurriedly took off his shoe and carefully checked his condition.

His instep, where blood was flowing, was noticeably swollen.

‘Damn it.’

I almost bit my tongue.