Genius Manager Who Hears Voices - Chapter 93



Only Noblemtl

Episode 93

This is what I heard about the competition over the past two months from Kim Ji-yu.

Twenty-four people, divided into two groups, participate in the program and perform on stage every two weeks.

Each time, the matchups were decided through a draw, and the teams were divided into three groups, A, B, and C, and points were awarded based on ranking.

The first place in each group gets 3 points, the second place gets 2 points, the third place gets 1 point, and so on.

In this way, 12 teams competed for a total of 8 weeks, and all voting was based on audience evaluation scores. It is said that because the rules were so fair, no team came out ahead by an overwhelming margin.

The rules are rules, but the fact that all the participants are talented singers is because Hong Min-joong, the planner of this program, has put his heart and soul into it for many years.

However, it is said that the team that stimulated the judges’ emotions and tastes more during each competition week earned high scores, and eventually, four teams were selected.

One of those teams was Yoo Jae-wook and Kim Ji-yu’s team.

‘Up to this point, it’s exactly the same as the future I saw.’

It was already known for a long time that Yoo Jae-wook would make it to the finals.

Even though he doesn’t know who his partner will be or what the competition process will be like, he has already heard the voice of the future during the process of treating his vocal nodules.

But the current situation is completely different from what was expected after that.

I thought that after making it to the final four, there would be a full-scale live competition with Chinese singers.

The stories I just heard from Kim Ji-yu were absolutely absurd.

“I don’t understand… … ? In a way, you could say that this is where the real competition begins, but why are you suddenly stopping here? There are few things that are better for a singer’s career than this.”

After a three-week break, is set to compete with Chinese singers as previously announced.

The final eight teams selected through competition from each country will compete on live stages for a total of eight weeks to win one crown.

However, before the main stage even began, Kim Ji-yu’s agency urged her to stop at this point.

“Besides, this isn’t something you do alone, but a team competition, right? I don’t know about Kim Ji-yu, but for Yoo Jae-wook, this competition is like putting his singing career on the line. You must know that Yoo Jae-wook overcame vocal nodules to appear on the show, right?”

You must have seen each other every day for 12 weeks as a duet partner, so you would definitely know.

Kim Ji-yu said in a tearful voice.

“… … Yes, I know. That’s why I feel even more guilty. In fact, I didn’t know it would come to this, but since I’ve come this far, I really wanted to achieve good results until the end. I told my seniors and I to approach it with the mindset that we are representatives of our country… … .”

“Why is your agency suddenly saying something like that? It would be nonsense for anyone with normal thinking to voluntarily step down from here.”

Chae So-won, who had been quietly listening to Hee-seong’s story, opened her mouth and spoke.

“The reason Kim Ji-yu is having a hard time is not because she voluntarily stepped down. If she had voluntarily stepped down, she would have felt better. At least we could have talked about it in advance and given her time to prepare.”

“What? How can you be eliminated if you don’t voluntarily step down? As far as I know, once a contest starts, it goes all the way to the end.”

Kim Ji-yu then explained the changed live broadcast rules.

“That was the rule until now, and starting with the live broadcast, there will be an elimination every week. So, 8 teams will compete for 8 weeks. What the company is saying is that they should naturally receive low scores due to poor condition.”

Heeseong was dumbfounded by the absurd sound that made him doubt his ears.

“That doesn’t make any sense… …. So are you telling me to make a mistake on purpose? So that I get a low score in the vote?”

After nodding silently, Kim Ji-yu opened her dry lips.

“The company is looking at it from a long-term perspective rather than immediate profit. The chances of winning the final are higher than not, so getting eliminated as early as possible will be advantageous for future activities in China. The closer we get to the final, the less positive the perception in China will be.”

At first I wondered what it meant, but when I thought about the nature of that country, I started to understand it.

There were similar cases not only in China but also in past World Cups.

There was a time when our country and Italy faced each other in a tournament, and when we won in an overtime match, anti-Korean sentiment began to rise in that country.

Unfortunately, the player who scored the winning goal at that time was playing in his home league, and immediately after the tournament loss, his house and car were literally attacked.

Naturally, the athlete, who felt his life was in danger, hurriedly returned home, not only with his family but also himself, and it is said that he has not been back to that country even once since that day.

Although the circumstances are different, the context is similar.

They are competing with China and their country’s pride on the line, so if they happen to win, there is no way that the country will look down on them.

I don’t know what the public’s perception is, but at least there won’t be any broadcasting stations or stages that will call them.

For them, losing in the national title match would be a huge blow to their pride.

“Ha, that’s such an absurd idea that I can’t even speak properly. So, considering the money I’ll make in China in the future, are you saying that it’s right to intentionally drop out now? So as not to offend the people of that country?”

“… … I didn’t say it like that, but… … .”

“Anyway. Isn’t that what you’re saying? Then, in the first place, did Kim Ji-yu participate in this competition for money? To use it as a stepping stone for activities in China?”

Chae So-won put her hand on Hee-sung’s arm and calmed him down as his speech became a little rough.

“Hee-sung, don’t get excited and listen to what Ji-yu Kim has to say. If Ji-yu Kim had felt that way, she wouldn’t have had such a hard time. She has been suffering from severe depression since that incident and is taking medication every day. Listen calmly, okay?”

Hee-sung was overcome with emotion without realizing it because he knew well how Yoo Jae-wook prepared for this competition.

Heeseong nodded slowly, taking a deep breath.

“I’m sorry. I think I got a little excited. Please tell me.”

“I was someone who decided to participate in the competition after seeing only my senior. At that time, the company’s position was that I should do whatever I wanted. When I was a rookie, I owed a lot to Jae-wook oppa.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

“I readily agreed to the competition because I thought I could help my brother, and I worked harder and had more fun than anyone else during the competition. It was a huge experience and emotion for me to pour everything I had into one stage every week.”

Jae-wook Yoo had a difficult time due to vocal nodules.

Kim Ji-yu is now walking a unique path as a solo female singer.

Clearly, Kim Ji-yu’s skills and popularity must have had a big influence from the start of the competition to the present.

“Whether I won or not, I thought it was something valuable to me that I couldn’t trade for anything. That’s why I promised my brother that I would do my best until the end. But one day, the CEO suddenly said something like that. He said he needed my help to save the company.”

“To save the company? Wasn’t Kim Ji-yu’s agency Delight?”

Kim Ji-yu’s agency, Delight, was not a very large company.

Compared to GEM, which Yoo Jae-wook is a part of, it would be more appropriate to call it small and medium-sized.

Although Kim Ji-yu wasn’t the only singer under the agency, it was true that her recognition was lacking, and so there weren’t any other artists worth highlighting besides Kim Ji-yu.

“Even if it’s a small agency, there must have been some income that Ji-yu Kim has earned over the years. Of course, it’s hard to compare it to a successful idol group, but it must not have been small. Why are you suddenly trying to save a company?”

“After I was successful, the company prepared a girl group. Since it costs a lot to create a group, we ended up in debt here and there. But the result was dismal. There were so many groups that debuted, and only a few of them succeeded. They earnestly begged me, saying that if things continued like this, there was no other way but bankruptcy. They told me to just close my eyes for once and look to the future… … .”

It was a story that I couldn’t relate to at all.

The group failed and ended up in debt due to his own shortcomings, so why are you trying to shift the blame to Kim Ji-yu?

Hee-sung said, holding back his emotions as much as he could, despite his frustration.

“No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t seem like a good company or a good CEO. Hasn’t it been about 5 years since Ji-yu Kim debuted? Then, the contract period will probably end soon. Is there really a need to comply with that request? Of course, all the accounts have been settled, and if there are no debts, it would be better to prioritize Ji-yu Kim’s career.”

To be honest, I couldn’t understand why Ji-yu Kim was so depressed.

He is not a child, but a fully grown adult who has been a singer for 5 years, so he should be able to clearly judge what is right.

Of course, it would be different if you were of the opinion that money is more important.

However, Heeseong couldn’t help but open his mouth at the words that followed.

“He’s my uncle. So… … he’s my family. He’s the one who debuted me, even going into debt, when I had nothing, and brought me up to where I am now. And then this is the first time he’s experienced failure… … .”

“……ha.”

“I don’t know what to do either. If I choose to participate in the competition, my uncle’s life will be at stake, but if I do as my uncle says, I feel so sorry towards Jae-wook… … I’m so pathetic because I can’t do anything, I really want to die, Manager… … Sob sob.”

No matter how much I thought about it, I still felt suffocated, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t understand Kim Ji-yu’s position at all.

Because a decision that may seem easy and insignificant to others can be more painful than death to the person involved.

Hee-sung looked at Kim Ji-yu, who was shedding tears, and spoke calmly.

“Then I think there is only one answer, which is to step down voluntarily. I will talk to Jae-wook and Chief Joo Seung-ik in advance and arrange a meeting. I think that is the only solution in the current situation, Ms. Kim Ji-yu.”

The reason he didn’t decide to step down voluntarily was probably to show his face on the live stage at least once more.

If you announce it once or twice before you leave, it will definitely help your future activities in China.

But you can’t get everything you want.

Heeseong said that and took out his cell phone.

Since both Seung-ik Joo and Jae-wook Yoo are close friends, I thought I could provide some advice.

That will be of some help to Kim Ji-yu as well.

“… … !”

But then, it was then.

As I was looking up the numbers of two people in my contacts, the surrounding noise suddenly disappeared in an instant.

And then some voices began to be heard.

Genius Manager Who Hears Voices