Genius Manager Who Hears Voices - Chapter 78



Only Noblemtl

Episode 78

“Hayden, Karen. I don’t know if it’s appropriate in this situation, but would you mind if I gave you some advice? I think the two of you could really help.”

The two nodded happily as they drank their whiskey.

“Sure. Anything.”

“Tell me. If it’s Heesung’s worries, I’ll listen to them with all my heart and tell you.”

It’s been on my mind ever since I came here.

What should I do with those four children when I return to Korea?

It was a situation where the water had already been spilled and there was no way to pick it up again. It was a situation where one had to push through regardless of whether it became porridge or rice.

But I was frustrated because I had no idea where or how to start.

“So you’ve been commissioned to work on a group, but you don’t have any training and don’t know where to start?”

After hearing his worries, Karen asked back and Heeseong answered while rubbing his chin.

“Rather than saying I didn’t have any training… … . Yeah, I guess it’s similar. In any case, there was no set process for debuting.”

“What about skills? I heard that in Korea, there is a system called trainee system where everyone goes through rigorous training before debuting. Have you checked the most important aspect, skills?”

This time, Heesung nodded immediately.

“Yes. I didn’t check it on the spot, but I received a video later to check the level of each member’s skills. Of course, I’m not an expert so I can’t be sure, but um. In my opinion, I think they would be fine even if they debuted right away.”

“Really? Both vocals and dancing? Of course, it’s because you’re an idol.”

“Yes. Those guys have one thing in common: they either have debut experience or were close to debuting. So, in terms of their skills, they’ve already been verified by experts.”

“You wouldn’t let just anyone debut, right?”

“Of course. It costs a lot of money to raise a group.”

The moment I answered, that thought occurred to me.

I wonder if that huge amount of money is something that Karen can sympathize with.

She is called a unicorn because she earns over 1 trillion won every year.

Well, of course, that’s not important right now.

“Then what are you worried about? If you already have the skills, why don’t you prepare for your debut right away? You just hire a composer, get a song, practice, and then go on stage. Is the system different in Korea?”

“That’s true, but it’s not something to be taken lightly. There’s a sort of unwritten rule in Korea that says idols can’t debut too old. I think even those in their early 20s are very old.”

“What? Then who on earth would be an idol? Even if they’re that old?”

“Usually, it is common to start your trainee life in your early teens. After five or six years, you achieve your goal of debuting. At most, you are around twenty years old when you debut.”

“Oh my gosh… … . There’s really more to it than meets the eye. I never thought they’d be so young. They all look so mature.”

“So if we fail this time, there’s a high chance that those guys won’t have another chance. No, we should say there won’t be any. At least as idols. That’s why I have to approach it with even more responsibility and caution.”

But even so, Karen said, there is only one way anyway.

“But that doesn’t mean the method will change, right? After all, singers need to have their own songs and stand on stage with those songs. It seems to me that Heeseong has other concerns right now.”

In fact, it was an accurate point, so Heesung nodded obediently.

“To be honest, I have absolutely no ability in producing. That’s natural. I’m a manager, not a producer.”

“But?”

“So I have no idea what kind of combination of members I should have, what kind of concept I should have, and what kind of song I should make for our debut. It’s embarrassing to say.”

“Is there anything to be ashamed of? Heesung is a manager, not a producer.”

“Well, that’s true… … Anyway, we need to form additional members, but I’m already at a loss. How many more people should I choose, and where should I bring them from?”

Ravi, who had been listening quietly, tilted his head and asked.

“Didn’t you say there are already four members? Then why are you picking additional members? There are already four.”

“Korean groups place a lot of importance on performance. In short, the powerful, restrained, and full performance of choreography has a big impact on forming a fandom. So, frankly speaking, four is not enough. It’s common for groups to have at least five or as many as ten.”

Ravi and Karen reacted in surprise at those words.

That’s because there’s no such thing as a dance group in the US, and the concept of idol they talk about and Korean-style idol are very different.

“That’s strange. There are four of us.”

Hayden, who had never opened his mouth at that time, suddenly blurted out while sipping his whiskey glass.

At those words, Heesung’s gaze was fixed on Hayden.

“Including me, there are only four members in our group. But we can show a performance that will fill up the stage. It doesn’t necessarily have to be dancing.”

“Are you talking about Craft?”

“Yes, we are a band, but we have never felt that the stage was lacking. It’s not like we have backup dancers. I don’t know what Korean-style idols are like, but isn’t it a misconception that a stage can only be filled with a large number of people? It’s a kind of prejudice.”

“… … .”

“Think about it carefully, are numbers really the most important thing? Karen here alone fills up a three-hour-plus performance every time, receiving enthusiastic cheers from hundreds of thousands of audience members.”

At that moment, I felt a tingling sensation in my head.

I had always had fixed thoughts, obsessed with the word idol, but Hayden’s one word shattered all of those thoughts.

Yeah, that’s right. Numbers are just numbers.

The important thing is to find clothes that fit the members well.

Once you find the clothes, you can just take the next steps one by one.

It felt like a huge wall had disappeared, as the thoughts about numbers that I had been obsessed with disappeared.

“I think the same. The term idol is just a term that is attached to something because of its symbolism, and it is not a concept in itself. Just because someone is alone doesn’t mean they are not an idol, and just because there are many people, they can’t necessarily be called idols. Isn’t that right?”

“And I think we don’t have to stick to just dance. I think it’s not too late to figure out what concept suits each member better and then decide. Since each of us already has our own experiences, that can be a huge weapon. Just like the members of Kraft.”

Hee-sung tilted his head and asked back at Ravi’s words.

“Like the Craft members?”

“Kraft is a group that debuted only 5 years ago. However, the members are already in their thirties. This means that they had a lot of experience before forming the group. In the end, that became the foundation for them to achieve great success, even though they were a little late in life. What’s important to Heesung now is what direction he can give to the members, isn’t that it?”

Although they were of different nationalities, they were all equally meaningful pieces of advice.

Perhaps it is because I am not Korean that I can give this advice.

Those who know the Korean entertainment industry will only have the typical image of an idol, and they would have forced Heesung to follow that path.

Heeseong, whose mind had become clearer, nodded and smiled.

“I feel like I’ve been helped a lot today. After hearing your advice, I feel like I have a clearer idea of ​​where to start. Thank you all.”

“I’m glad it was helpful. But why didn’t you come to the US with me? If you had come with me, you could have seen it for yourself and told me more stories. It must have been a great experience for them, too.”

Heeseong answered with a smile.

“Did I ever think this would happen to me? When I boarded the plane to America, I never imagined myself in a mansion like this. And to think that it was Hayden and Karen’s house. Even now, I’m still in a daze, even though we’re all together.”

“Really? That’s unexpected for someone who solved such a big problem. He’s the one who wiped out the big thugs in Hollywood. You seem to have a rather humble side, don’t you, Heeseong?”

“If you think about the kind of person Karen is, rather than being naive, wouldn’t anyone do that? I’m sure anyone would do that.”

“Hmm, that would be difficult already. Nothing really surprising has happened yet.”

“What a surprise? What… … ?”

At those words, Hayden and Karen looked at each other and exchanged glances.

Then Hayden spoke first.

“You gave us such an amazing gift, so shouldn’t we repay you in kind? This was a huge revelation for us. The person we always took for granted was actually a special person. This is Ravi’s story.”

Karen added, looking at Ravi.

“Do you remember what we said when we first saw Heeseong? We said that the word ‘sacrifice’ was really cool. We wish we had someone like that. In fact, we already had someone like that. Ravi, who has sacrificed for us from the beginning until now.”

“Oh, by the way, your pronunciation is similar to Heeseong’s? Heeseong and Saekjae.”

“Heesung, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have come to this realization. Above all, Ravi wouldn’t be here with us right now. So I want to repay that gratitude.”

Give and take.

That seems to be a common saying here in America too.

“So the gift we thought of was… … .”

This is Hollywood and Hayden and Karen are world-class artists.

Heeseong waited quietly for the next words, wondering what kind of surprising story would come out this time.

However, the words that came out of Karen’s mouth were a story that surpassed Heesung’s imagination.

“How about going on a world tour together instead of just Asia? Not just with Heesung, but with the friends you have with you now.”