Producer with no Regrets - Chapter 405



Only Noblemtl

Episode 405

“no!”

Snow White immediately shouted.

The two men who had been singing while repeating only the word ‘Uparupa’ flinched.

“I won’t do this!”

“Not doing it… … ?”

Jung Ji-eum became gloomy and slumped down on the chair. Then, like a puppy that had been drenched in rain, he looked up at Baek Seol-ha.

“Oh, it’s not that I won’t do it at all, but I don’t want to make a decision like this right away! There are so many possibilities!”

You can’t decide right away after listening to one song.

Isn’t this the comeback song of Girls’ League?

Even though it was created by the genius music producer Jung Ji-eum and approved by the equally genius idol producer Sung Pil, it shouldn’t be approved right away.

Rather than saying it couldn’t be done, there was a song that Baekseolha wanted to write.

“Brother, please play me the song I saw before.”

Seongpil was surprised to see Baekseolha requesting a song as if it were a given.

Because I never thought that he would have reviewed the song while consulting with Jeong Ji-eum even during his vacation.

Also, her attitude was pleasant.

‘I thought Seol-ha would laugh awkwardly and say that Uparupa would be okay too.’

However, Baekseolha has the image of being weaker than the other members.

At least that’s what Seongpil saw of Snow White.

Whenever Seongpil showed signs of being a little upset or disappointed, Baekseol-ha would quickly adjust his mood.

But that’s only in the non-work context, when it comes to serious work, it’s a completely different story.

Snow White approaches her work as a professional.

‘I’m not swept away by the atmosphere.’

Seongpil also secretly wanted to test Baek Seol-ha, so he excessively promoted ‘Wooparupa’.

Sungpil saw the future when Jeong Ji-eum was talking about right and left. Surprisingly, the Girls’ League made a comeback by including the song Uparupa in their album.

‘And to make it really, really ridiculous, the lyrics are controversial… … .’

It was a future that I couldn’t believe even when I saw it.

There are many idols who have been embroiled in controversy over trivial things they said or did. But I never would have imagined that they would become embroiled in controversy over something like this.

‘Anyway, Uparupa becomes the song of the Girls’ League.’

But is that a track included?

Is this the title song?

Or maybe double titles?

‘From the beginning, we don’t know whether Seol-ha will release it as a mini-album, a single, or even just a digital single.’

Seongpil felt regret.

If we were to look into the future, it would have been nice to see whether ‘Uparupa’ was successful or not.

“I see, Seol-ha… … that’s what I’m talking about.”

The still sound quickly found the audio file.

Seongpil followed with his eyes the cursor on the monitor screen as it approached the audio file.

I was really curious to see what song Baek Seol-ha had in mind so much.

‘What kind of music did Seol-ha choose and what did she want to express?’

This moment is special.

Because you will be able to see for the first time the vision and artistry that Baek Seol-ha possesses.

The cursor stopped over the audio file.

And then the sound of the stop was heard, and he took his hand off the mouse.

“As a music producer, I don’t recommend this.”

“……uh?”

The air in the studio was thick.

Jung Ji-eum had an extremely serious expression on her face, as if the fact that she had been singing and dancing excitedly to Uparupa just a moment ago was a lie.

He crossed his legs as if trying to get rid of the last bit of light air.

“Untie your legs.”

“Yes, bro.”

The sound of the stop gave way to a bridge.

“I don’t recommend it… … It might sound a bit frivolous to say that. I’d like to disagree.”

Snow White was clearly embarrassed.

It was because she had not expected that Jeong Ji-eum would object from the beginning. Baek Seol-ha barely managed to pull herself together and asked.

“Why, why?”

“Hyung, you’ll know when you hear it. Jaeho, you already know, right?”

“Yes. I’ve heard it before.”

The song played.

After listening, Seongpil could understand why Jeong Ji-eum had shouted her opposition so firmly.

First of all, there was no trace of a pause in this song. It seemed like the A&R team had moved to buy the song. It could have been a song by a domestic composer or a foreign composer.

‘Probably from a foreign country, probably the United States.’

This song has little K-pop feel to it.

There is no prominent climax that anyone who hears it would feel is a highlight.

There is no sudden and unpredictable genre shift that is characteristic of K-pop.

There is no artistic sound transformation that captivates the ears or a device that surprises the listener.

This song is amazingly repetitive.

There is only a beat that repeats endlessly. There is only a melody that repeats over and over again as if declaring that it will remain in your ears forever.

‘It’s simple.’

It’s such a simple, plain and calm song.

But the melody comes into your ears clearly. You can’t help but hear it. Because it keeps repeating.

The song is over.

“Ji-eum, this is… … .”

When Seongpil spoke in a bewildered tone, Jeong Ji-eum nodded as if she understood.

“Is this a AAA structure song?”

‘Uparupa’ followed AABC, the most basic structure of modern pop.

However, the song that Baek Seol-ha chose has an AAA structure. As anyone can guess, the same structure is repeated until the end of the song.

“Seolhaya.”

“i know.”

The genre where the AAA structure is mainly used is ballad.

In a genre where one must calmly and persistently pursue one emotion, this AAA structure shines.

However, idols cannot use this structure in their songs. First of all, what the public expects from idol songs is a stimulus that can immediately grab their ears.

‘Idol songs are almost like dance songs.’

People don’t listen seriously.

If I get bored, I’ll just skip to the next song.

However, there is no need to explain this in detail. Snow White already knows this.

The story moves on to the next part.

“I don’t know… … . Is it because of what I said before? Is that why you chose this?”

Snow White nodded.

What Seongpil said, no.

It was a request.

It’s the producer’s earnest request to have all members develop skills comparable to those of the main position.

“The first thing I’m going to challenge is vocals.”

I decided to become the first producer of the Snow White Girls’ League from the moment I was asked to do so by Seongpil.

“The challenge I will face is vocals… … .”

So I chose this AAA structured song.

If the entire song shares the same melody, how do you divide the verses and highlights?

As the name suggests, shouldn’t highlights explode with the mood and emotions of the song? If the song only repeats the same melody, there is only one way to compose highlights differently from the verses.

“We will develop our members vocally. That’s how we will complete this song.”

The only way to distinguish highlights and verses in a AAA structured song is through vocals.

There are two representative numbers.

A(Verse) ― A(Verse) ― A(Highlight).

The first is to raise the octave itself in the last A (highlight). Since the pitch itself goes up, it becomes a completely different atmosphere from the previous verse.

This is a method used in ballads.

The second is unison (all instruments playing the same note), which means all members sing the highlight at once.

“Seolha, what you’re saying is that you’re going to choose Unison in Highlight?”

“no.”

“then?”

Snow White, who had been cutely imitating Uparupa until just now, was no longer there.

As someone who aims to become the best idol, she will use techniques befitting a top idol.

“I’m going to raise the octave and use unison as well.”

Seongpil stared blankly at Baek Seol-ha because he couldn’t find anything to say.

Then I saw a stop sound.

Jung Ji-eum shrugged.

“Do you understand what I mean?”

Simply put, the goals Baek Seol-ha has chosen are as follows:

All members have vocal skills comparable to Snow White and will be able to pull off this song.

Only then can it be completed.

* * *

“Did Seol-ha say that? Her ambitions are really big!”

When Son Hye-bin smiled proudly, Jeong Ji-eum replied with a frown.

“That’s not something to laugh about… … .”

“Ji-eum, do you really hate the fact that Seol-ha is taking the difficult path? Or do you just hate that song?”

“It’s true that I like ‘Uparupa’, but it’s not that I don’t like the song.”

“So you just think that kids simply can’t do it?”

“Rather than saying I can’t do it… … well… … I wonder if I won’t get a satisfactory result… … .”

As he said that, Jeong Ji-eum glanced at Seong-pil.

Seongpil was rummaging through the mini fridge in his studio. He took out a zero-calorie carbonated drink and took a refreshing swig.

But Seongpil still had no answer.

Son Hye-bin continued the conversation.

“Can’t you just touch it with a program?”

“The Girls’ League’s policy is to enable live performances.”

“That’s true, but… … I have to do something within the limits of what’s possible.”

“It’s not something to be taken lightly, saying ‘within the limit’, the AAA structure. It’s not used so often in ballads for nothing.”

It’s a song structure that can’t be properly utilized without the vocal skills of a ballad singer.

“Seongpil, is that so?”

Son Hye-bin finally called Seong-pil.

Seongpil, who had been pretending not to hear Jeong Ji-eum’s complaints, had no choice but to join the conversation.

Son Hye-bin asked directly.

“After hearing what Ji-eum said, it certainly seems like it would be difficult to use that song structure for an idol. What does our main producer think?”

“There is a precedent.”

“uh?”

“Seol-ha may have chosen it after hearing the precedent.”

“Did you know that too?”

Jeong Ji-eum nodded reluctantly, feeling embarrassed.

“Who? If there’s a precedent, that group failed with a AAA-structured song?”

“No. Actually… … .”

“It was a huge success.”

Seongpil answered.

“It was an unprecedented success.”

“Wow, who is it? Am I the only one who doesn’t know it? If it’s such a unique song, it’s strange that I don’t know it.”

“Because you can’t think of that song as having a AAA structure. You wouldn’t know unless you listened to it until your ears were worn out.”

“What’s the title?”

“Portrait in You.”

Son Hye-bin was very surprised, as if she had not expected it at all.

‘Portrait in You’, which achieved unprecedented success, was a song with an AAA structure. However, no one who listened to it noticed that the melody was repeated over and over again.

“Even though the melody is simple and repetitive, the vocals weren’t like that. The vocals alone eliminated the song’s characteristic boredom.”

‘Portrait in You’ is a song by a girl group.

The unprecedented success was literal, as it held the title of “Most Streamed K-Pop Girl Group Song Across All U.S. Music Sites.”

The owner of that song is… … .

“The senior group of KS Entertainment is the owner. A third-generation girl group that KS Entertainment put a lot of effort into creating.”

B.S.

The four of them do not have the same level of dance performance ability as KARA, and even now, they do not show off as intense performances as their younger group.

However, in terms of vocal skills, he far surpasses Caius.

BBS is evaluated to have gone beyond a commercial group and entered the realm of art.

“’Portrait in You’ ranked first in music sales the year it was released. The initial sales were in the tens of thousands, just like other groups at the time, but it was a song that truly left its mark on the history of K-pop.”

Certainly, there are success stories of songs with AAA structure.

But that case existed at such a high level that it was impossible to refer to it.

“Now the goal is to go beyond Caius and reach BIS? Why do our kids only look for walls to hit and break?”

“So?” asked Son Hye-bin.

“If Seol-ha’s goal is to achieve the level of musical perfection of ‘Portrait in You’, isn’t that impossible? Ji-eum’s opinion is right.”

“That’s right. The Girls’ League is not BIS.”

“then…….”

“Since it’s not BBS, we have to find another way to express it.”

“what?”

“Sister, the path to music isn’t just one path.”

That’s so obvious.

In the first place, not all music can be the same.

Most idol hit songs follow the AABC structure, but don’t they all have their own unique charm?

Seongpil said excitedly.

“It’s just that Seol-ha is going to take a slightly more difficult path. Aren’t you curious, Sister? Aren’t you curious about what kind of results our kids will produce? And you, Ji-eum? Are you just going to throw this away?”

Son Hye-bin and Jeong Ji-eum were speechless.

What can you say when you see Seongpil pouring out his words with excitement like a boy?

Son Hye-bin and Jeong Ji-eum looked at each other and smiled bitterly. Yeah, we don’t have to settle on one song anyway… … .

“You’ll know once you try it!”

“That’s right, Seongpil. You don’t just decide on one thing and go on with your life, right? There are things you learn as you go along.”

“Sister, don’t hit the trigger.”

“then…….”

Jeong Ji-eum accepted the current situation calmly.

“Let’s leave aside the A&R process of filtering and selecting comeback songs for another time. If Seol-ha is talking about a specific song, the theme is summer, right?”

“yes.”

“It would be better to have at least one keyword. I should also take a look at it.”

“That… Let’s decide at the meeting after the kids’ vacation is over. Or it would be good to ask Seol-ha in advance.

“Oh, right.”

Son Hye-bin suddenly asked Jeong Ji-eum as if she had remembered something.

“When you say ‘lyrics,’ I thought of something. What’s going on with lyricist Lee Su-yeon?”

In the past, Seongpil and Son Hyebin had formed an alliance.

It was the ‘Jeong Ji-eum Mosul Escape’ alliance.

The two began their operation as soon as the Girls’ League’s activities in Japan ended. They were to arrange a meeting between lyricist Lee Su-yeon and Jeong Ji-eum.

As a result, it seems that the two of them ate together or went out together quite a few times.

Seongpil also waited for Jeong Ji-eum’s answer with anticipation.

“How is it going?”

Jung Ji-eum asked, blinking her eyes in confusion.

“Hey, you’re being ridiculous. How far has your relationship gone?”

“What are you talking about?”

“uh?”

“What happened between me and lyricist Lee Su-yeon?”

“No, you two often ate together.”

“Often… … is that right? We only met a few times, and it was all because of work.”

‘You crazy single motherfucker.’

Son Hye-bin cursed inwardly.

Lee Soo-yeon also knows about the existence of the ‘Jung Ji-eum Mosul Escape Alliance’ created by Seong Pil and Son Hye-bin.

When Son Hye-bin first approached her, Lee Soo-yeon denied it. But soon, she blushed and confessed her feelings.

‘If I have the chance, yes, that would be great… … .’

Lee Soo-yeon was also in a similar situation to Jeong Ji-eum.

Since I always write lyrics in a dark studio, I have no place to meet people, and the only people I talk to are my colleagues in the same studio.

She spent every day the same way, harboring the vain hope that she would ‘accidentally encounter Jung Ji-eum.’

It was truly pitiful.

Son Hye-bin had to calm her upset stomach after hearing Jung Ji-eum’s tactless answer.

She barely calmed down and asked again.

“Hey, Jimin, what kind of person eats meals that often for work?”

“We just talked about this and that as people in the same industry… … .”

Jung Ji-eum seemed uncomfortable with this conversation. No, he was afraid.

I am already afraid of the future where I will be criticized for mistakenly thinking, ‘Could it be that lyricist Lee Soo-yeon and I were meant to be together?’

Son Hye-bin has that kind of calm temperament… … .

‘no.’

Son Hye-bin understood the freshness of that silence.

“No way. How can you keep asking someone in the industry you’re not interested in to eat with you?”

“Director Son, no, why do you keep doing that, sister?”

“Ji-eum, please contact me at least once.”

“If you keep asking me to eat with you… … continuously because you like me, how many times have you been approached by our kids?”

Seongpil kept his mouth tightly shut.

“Haha, really?”

I just smiled awkwardly.

‘Park Sung-pil is a fucking piece of shit.’

Son Hye-bin burst into laughter.

It seemed that the ‘Jeong Ji-eum Mosul Escape Alliance’ would continue to exist a little longer.

* * *

Kim Myeong-un, CEO of E-Eum Entertainment, rushed into the practice room in the company building.

There was a schedule next to the practice room door.

From Monday to Friday, the name ‘Woo Hyo-min’ was written on the wall at all times.

In fact, Eum Enter was like a one-man agency run by Kim Myeong-un and Woo Hyo-min.

“Hyomin!”

When Kim Myeong-un opened the door, Woo Hyo-min, who was practicing, was startled.

“Representative?”

“Let’s set a date for our comeback!”

Woo Hyo-min thought it had been a long time since he had seen Kim Myeong-un’s expression so bright.

After the group that was born from Project For You disbanded, Woo Hyo Min said that she wanted to stay at Kim Myung Woon’s Ieum Entertainment.

Kim Myeong-un initially refused.

After giving all sorts of reasons, I was absolutely certain that being at Yim Enter would not help Woo Hyo-min’s future.

But Woo Hyo-min was stubborn.

‘I want to work with you, sir.’

Kim Myeong-un continued to refuse.

He said that it would be much better to join another company’s debut group with his current fame.

Woo Hyo-min asked him.

‘Sir, would you like to work with me?’

With that, Kim Myeong-un was captured.

That was the last day when Kim Myeong-un smiled brightly without a single shadow.

That’s how Woo Hyo-min and Kim Myeong-un’s happy and difficult days began.

Woo Hyo-min, who debuted as a solo artist, has achieved decent results, but has yet to establish herself as a solo idol singer.

“Hey, you’re finally back!”

“Yeah. It’s summer!”

“summer!”

The anticipation slowly disappeared from Woo Hyo-min’s face.

“In the summer… … it’s really girl group hell… … .”

“No, no. I met with all the people in charge of the agency and produced big data.”

“You can’t call something that was investigated by one person big data… … .”

“Look!”

The documents that Kim Myung-woon wrote one by one with a ballpoint pen contained the approximate comeback dates of famous girl groups.

“Almost everyone is avoiding summer!”

“Huh? Does this make sense? Why?”

“As you live, days like this come. Why, there were hardly any girl groups making a comeback last spring. Now is the time!”

“Th, those words… … !”

“You are this year’s summer queen, Hyomin!”

Kim Myeong-un and Woo Hyo-min danced with joy.

Summer! How many events and how many festivals there are!

If just one song becomes a real hit, there will be no dark clouds over the future of Ieum Enter.

The documents fell to the floor as Woo Hyo-min danced while holding hands with Kim Myeong-un.

It was filled with the names of girl groups, and underneath them were the approximate comeback dates.

Coincidentally, there was no information about Caius, Globe, or the Girls’ League. This was because Kim Myeong-un was never able to find out information about them.

But what does it matter? The top tier girl groups from the three biggest entertainment agencies and famous mid-sized entertainment agencies, which are as tall as the Great Wall of China, are not making a comeback in the summer.

Those three groups, which are probably like sacred music, probably won’t make a comeback in the summer. Surely they won’t make a comeback at the same time like Jackpot?

“I will definitely become the Summer Queen!”

“Okay, let’s succeed and get out of this damn place and go to the new building!”

Cheer up, Yim Enter.