Producer with no Regrets - Chapter 819



Only Noblemtl

Episode 819 Epilogue: Young Forever (5)

Ishikawa Rika, 19 years old, trainee.

For her, the end of the world was her ‘debut’.

“Let’s work hard towards our debut!”

Every time Seongpil said that, his fighting spirit burned.

Rika worked so hard that she didn’t even realize how the day went by.

‘Oh, I feel a little sluggish today.’

It doesn’t matter.

I went to the company to practice.

‘Oh, I’m depressed.’

It doesn’t matter.

I went to the company to practice.

‘Oh, I’m hungry. My head is spinning.’

It doesn’t matter.

I went to the company to practice.

Rika lived 24 hours a day solely to achieve her ultimate goal of debuting. To the point where anyone would think she was crazy, she lived solely to practice.

“How about taking a break sometimes?”

When Seongpil was so worried, I felt proud and thought, ‘I worked hard.’ So, when I politely accepted his request to rest, I felt uneasy.

She went to practice again.

It had to be that way.

Because she had already experienced falling from the edge of the world.

‘If only I had tried a little harder.’

I could have debuted at KS Entertainment.

By debuting at the best entertainment agency in Korea, he would have been able to look down on the world that had looked down on him.

What was lacking was a very small amount of effort.

The water was one degree short of boiling. Rika stopped at 99 degrees, ultimately failing to reach the end.

That was a huge trauma for Rika.

‘Of course, I think it’s fortunate.’

I met Sungpil because I was dropped from KS Entertainment. I was able to come to Garo Entertainment where everyone I love is.

Even so, the trauma did not go away.

The experience of failing because of a very, very small amount of effort that she had ignored for so long will never be erased from Rika’s mind.

‘If only I had gone to the company and practiced with Eri-chan instead of going to the cafe.’

‘If only I hadn’t taken a break and rewarded myself for getting an A grade back then.’

‘If only I hadn’t been curled up at home under the pressure of the final exams.’

Rika’s life will never be able to escape the shackles of ‘if only’.

Because she was that kind of Rika, she worked like crazy during the second opportunity she got.

This time, to reach the end of the world.

‘Once you debut, everything is over. You achieve everything.’

Just as a high school student mistakenly believes that the college entrance exam is everything in life, Rika was obsessed with debuting.

“Let’s go, Girls’ League.”

And finally, Rika reached the end of the world.

‘Huh?’

Rika was embarrassed.

‘You’re already… here?’

It certainly seemed like the college entrance exam was the end of my life, but there was still something left. And it was a much more difficult and longer road than the college entrance exam.

Of course, I know the destination the road will lead to.

“The best idol.”

Rika steps forward, feeling the milestone of her debut.

Heading towards the destination where you can’t see even an inch ahead, the best idol. And you find it.

A milestone that shows you are on the right track.

* * *

Shin A-reum, 20 years old, first year in the Girls’ League.

To her, the end of the world was ‘the main event’.

“That’s what the main prize is.”

Min Kyung-seop explained about the main prize.

“It’s the TOP 10 of the year. It refers to the ten artists who represent that year.”

In fact, it was the highest point that a group of small and medium-sized planning companies could reach.

Min Kyung-seop didn’t say that the main prize was his ultimate goal, perhaps because he was aware of Sungpil’s habit of calling him the ‘best idol’.

Anyway, Shin A-reum accepted it.

‘So, if we win the grand prize, does that mean we’ve met the world’s expectations?’

Among the idols from small and medium-sized agencies, the only one to reach the grand prize was WTP, which was sweeping the United States at the time.

Just as no commander has ever made parting the Red Sea a strategic goal, people in the entertainment industry have not made WTP their goal.

WTP was a miracle, something that could not be replicated.

“Arum-ah, let’s aim to be the best idol!”

The person who said that was not a typical entertainment person. He was openly calling himself the best, but if someone had heard it, they might have laughed at him.

Because it was an act of openly declaring that he would perform a miracle.

“of course.”

Still, Shin A-reum told Sung-pil that she would become the best. She said it over and over again and promised it over and over again.

But Shin A-reum was a smart child, so she didn’t blindly run towards becoming the best.

A marathon has a goal.

But the best idols don’t have a clear goal tape. So what Shin Areum can do is make sure she’s heading straight for the place she’ll reach someday.

‘The main prize.’

Shin A-reum explored the possibilities.

I followed the path my seniors had walked, and carefully confirmed that it was the best path.

‘All I need is an effort worthy of receiving an award… … .’

No, absolutely not.

You have to work harder than that.

Just because you set your goal low doesn’t mean you’ll put in just that much effort. On the contrary, Shin Areum worked hard as if she really wanted to receive the award.

Even though he was a middle-distance runner, he ran like a sprinter, like the finish line was 100 meters away, not 400 meters.

This was because I knew that I had to set the benchmark at 150 to get a score of 90.

Of course, it was hard.

It felt like I was driving through a foggy road.

But the reason she didn’t get tired and didn’t give up was.

“Team Leader, I did a good job, right?”

“Yeah. Always much better than I expected.”

I wanted to show it to Seongpil.

The end of the world.

I wanted to make his dream come true.

The best idol. However, I didn’t know how to get there. That’s why I ran even more desperately.

and.

[This is the Girls’ League!]

In just their second year since debut, Girls’ League won the main prize.

Shin A-reum reached her goal milestone in just one year.

‘Huh?’

Shin Areum was embarrassed.

‘Here now… … ?’

She had reached the milestone she had seen in her sights. There was more ahead. A goal that was incomparably more difficult than the midpoint she had pointed to.

‘The next thing is… … the target, right?’

Will I be able to achieve it if I just keep moving forward steadily like this?

How many years later? How long will it take? No, is this the right direction?

‘Is it enough for me to just keep trying like I am doing now?’

At that moment, a torch shone from behind her as she reached the milestone called Bonsang.

A torch that pierces the darkness and points further ahead.

The name was ‘Our Producing’.

Someone touched Shin A-reum’s shoulder as she stared blankly into the darkness. When she turned around, she was Snow White. She took the first torch and stepped forward, leading everyone.

* * *

Baek Seol-ha, 25 years old, 3rd year in the Girls’ League.

Our producing season 1.

For her, the milestone to be found was ‘#1 on the real-time charts.’

‘If there’s a standard for saying that you’ve succeeded as a singer, it’s the charts.’

Album sales… … .

It would be an important criterion in terms of the company’s profitability. And it is also a criterion that Baekseolha secretly, no, considers quite important.

But Snow White’s origin is a singer.

At first, I aimed to be an idol, but fundamentally, I wanted to be someone who could ‘sing’.

That’s why her goal was to be a singer and idol who would sweep the charts.

“Give me victory.”

While producing ‘Apple Crush’, he spoke to the A&R team in a very serious manner.

To be honest, even Snow White was into it at that time. She was going all out, saying she was going to beat Caius.

That’s why I became even more obsessed with charts.

‘It’s hard to keep up with album sales.’

Isn’t it still a miracle?

Oh my, a small agency idol had sold over 100,000 copies in the first week! This was something Baek Seol-ha had never imagined, so she thought at that moment that she had reached the peak of her career as an idol.

But no matter how great an achievement it is, it is still relative.

‘It’s hard to win in sales against idols from big entertainment agencies.’

Where should the Girls’ League reach next?

What do they need to rely on and move forward to ensure that they are on the right path?

‘After all, there is nothing but charts.’

Snow White pursues the number one spot on the real-time charts.

‘Increasing album sales is about solidifying the base. In other words, increasing the fandom. And climbing the charts is about securing potential. In other words, increasing the potential demand.’

With the solid foundation of the Girls’ League established through the Snow White Revolutionary Trilogy, the group wanted to move forward into a wider world.

Being number one on the charts is every musician’s dream. It’s the greatest achievement an idol or singer can achieve.

Although reaching number one on the real-time charts is just a moment in the grand history of music, how wonderful it is to have your name engraved in that moment.

How proud it would be to have created, even if only for a moment, the ‘most listened to music’ by people.

however.

“Guys, ‘Apple Crush’ is #1 on the real-time charts!”

Wait wait wait!

You, it happened so suddenly!

You’re already here?!

The part where I’m the main character is over?!

Okay, let’s set a slightly more ambitious goal.

For example, #1 on the weekly charts… … .

“It was #1 on the weekly charts!”

Wait, wait, wait, no matter what, it’s too fast?!

Okay, then let’s dream bigger.

If this happens, the potential of the Girls’ League will reach its peak, and I will live forever among the worship of people!

As the number one contributor to the success of the Girls’ League!

A record that I can proudly shout out as an idol, ‘Girls League is complete!’

Yeah, that sounds good.

6 music show grand slam.

“Hey guys! It’s your Grand Slam!”

So, Snow White finally reached the next milestone.

She was happy, but there was an emptiness in her heart.

She scratched her head.

‘No, this is really… … .’

This is really, really great.

It’s number 1 on the real-time chart.

It’s number one on the weekly chart.

It’s a music show grand slam.

‘Really, we… … .’

It is approaching.

It’s still too far away to see, but I can be sure of it. The Girls’ League is definitely getting closer.

‘To the best idol… … .’

Snow White reached a new milestone. And just as she was about to let go and move forward again, the past came back to her mind.

After the showdown with his master, Lee In-seong, he was drunk on alcohol and made a promise to Seong-pil.

‘Grammy Awards… … .’

The best idols should naturally be popular in America. Because the best idols these days are sweeping the world, and of course that world includes America.

When Master Lee In-seong came to mind, Baek Seol-ha felt frightened all over again.

The country was conquered.

But what about overseas?

‘Can we move forward like we have so far?’

Snow White, who reached the milestone of becoming the best idol. What she saw was not a road, but an ocean.

The next stage unfolds only after you cross the sea, a place where you cannot even set foot.

That means you have to jump into the sea. You have to throw yourself into a place that no one has ever challenged before.

I’m scared.

‘Wait a minute, this might not be the way… … .’

Just then, someone passed by Baekseolha and jumped into the sea.

It was Joara.

* * *

Joara, 22 years old, 3rd year in the Girls’ League.

Our producing season 2.

For her, the milestone was the ‘Best Dance Performance Award’.

Her idol, C-Ace, also received the award, and it was an award that was given to great seniors from major entertainment agencies every year.

Now that Jo Ara has some experience as an idol, she no longer talks about empty dreams like she used to.

‘The criteria for the target are like this… … .’

Music video views.

Album sales.

Number of domestic and international streaming.

Fan and judge votes.

Joara looked up the data from Caius and the Girls’ League and did some quick calculations.

The result is.

‘Unless you bribe all the judges… … .’

Even if the difference is big, it is too big.

‘Is this the next milestone I need to reach?’

A realistic career high to aim for is the ‘Best Dance Performance Award’.

Since this is an award where the judges’ eyes play a big part, if the Girls’ League can increase its artistic value, it will also have a chance.

The ‘Best Dance Performance Award’ is somewhat out of touch with the public.

Popular dance performance awards include things like the Clark Challenge Award of the Year, which goes to songs like Baek Seol-ha’s Uparupa.

‘Because Uparupa is different from the path I pursue.’

What Joara is aiming for is the ‘Best Dance Performance’.

She truly tried to reach the realm of art.

Not even the smallest detail was missed.

Even if only he was aware of that triviality, he never took it lightly.

‘The choreography is complete.’

Seo Yu-seon, a drunken boxing master who hides his skills.

With the help of a new performance director, ‘Automata’ has reached the realm of ultimate art.

This choreography, which uses the stage more dynamically than just widely, could change the paradigm of idol dancing.

‘I wonder if there are any producers who would follow this composition, since it is impossible for even the most talented people to do it with a little practice… ‘

It’s that difficult.

And that goes for the Girls’ League too.

Joara must reach the level of perfectly reproducing the ‘automata’.

It’s like a double act performed by media actors.

It means having to try the same act in front of the camera two, three times, endlessly until the perfect scene is captured.

‘Automata are sophisticated mechanical devices.’

The very idea of ​​adding new ideas to create freshness is impossible.

It may not be as vivid as the performances performed by actors on a theater stage, exchanging emotions in real time.

It will be as dramatic as the most perfect scene achieved through countless efforts by the movie actors.

To reach that level, Joara had to give up even the joy of dancing.

I thought I could only achieve this by turning what I loved most in the world into ‘work’.

All of this.

‘To see the next stage.’

For the most beautiful curtain call, holding hands and smiling happily together.

[Best Dance Performance, Girls’ League ‘Automata’!]

By giving up happiness like that, Joara reached the next milestone faster than she thought.

This is after only 3 years of being an idol.

“… … ?”

‘Automata’ was a huge hit overseas.

Although it was a huge flop in Korea, overseas streaming numbers are rising as expected, and music video views are growing much faster than ‘Apple Crush’.

Baek Seol-ha was shaking when she saw the reaction coming from the US. She said strange things like, ‘Are you really going to the Grammys…?’

‘uh……?’

I was happy.

But something… was strange.

I finally got what I wanted, but I thought, ‘Can I get it this easily?’

For example, I was reincarnated into a fantasy novel called Joara. I faced the strongest enemy in the novel in the middle of the story. I thought it was a do-or-die situation, so I swung my sword, and the enemy died instantly.

Joara looks at the enemy’s blood on her sword in vain.

‘… … What is this?’

Was what they were aiming for really that easy?

Was it really that easy, so easy that it could be done with just a few swings of the sword, so shameful that I had been afraid until now?

no.

“Araya, I’m proud of you. Thank you, really.”

You can tell by looking at Seongpil’s expression.

That what they had accomplished was extremely difficult.

And their efforts were so great that they could easily accomplish extremely difficult tasks.

That’s why I’m sure.

‘I, we, are on the right path.’

Joara, who jumped into the sea that Baekseolha had been hesitating to enter, finally reached the land that Baekseolha had been wishing for.

Joara jumped out of the waves and crawled along the beach, where she found another milestone that proved they were right.

Joara gets up, pointing to it.

‘Oh, really… … .’

At this rate, I really have no choice but to aim for it.

The dream became reality.

As soon as she thought that, the person who had jumped into the sea following Joara passed her by.

Joara, and the members who followed Joara also follow her.

It’s Jang Ha-yang.

* * *

[Song of the year!]

The host announces the names of the winners with a bright face.

As the images of the candidates pass by on the screen, their representative songs are played. Each candidate’s fans cheer loudly as if they were competing with each other whenever the music comes on.

Among them was the Girls’ League’s ‘Song for People’.

[There are five candidates.]

The Girls’ League, who had just finished their last stage and hurriedly returned to the waiting area, were a little out of breath as they had to hurry to the waiting area.

Their hearts were pounding, no matter who they were.

[Yes! Song of the Year!]

[The winning team is!]

[Yes! It’s written on the cue card I’m holding!]

The audience’s regretful voices, or even boos, fill the Tokyo Dome. The host smiles brightly and continues the proceedings.

[I will announce it!]

The leader, Baek Seol-ha, has forgotten her manners and is bending her back. Her face, which is down along with her upper body that is bent forward, is looking only at the floor.

Hong Gyu-heon’s clasped hands were raised above his knees in a devout manner as if he were praying to God.

[Song of the Year!]

Shin A-reum is smiling as if she is wearing a mask. There is not even the slightest change in her facial expression. Her gaze is not even directed at the screen or the stage.

Her gaze was directed somewhere in the audience, where the fans were going wild and busy taking pictures of Shin A-reum with their cellphones and cameras.

In the meantime, Shin A-reum just smiled with a stiff, machine-like face.

[This year’s glorious winner is!]

Joara has a blank expression on her face, like someone who has been hit. She can’t even straighten her head, so her face is slightly tilted to the side.

If Min Kyung-seop had seen it, he would have been terrified and told him to straighten his back and raise his head right away.

Her legs were spread wide, which was fortunate because she was wearing pants, and her posture was also problematic. Her elbows were spread across her thighs, and her limp hands were covering her private parts.

This miserable sight made it clear to anyone that Joara was not in her right mind.

[The winner is!]

Layered! Cause! Girls’ League! Archive!

Every time the words ‘Who’s the winner?’ were uttered, the names of all the nominated teams were called out by the audience.

Even though it was conducted in Korean, the host said “The winner is!” so often that even the Japanese knew what it meant.

Among them, the ones shouting ‘Girls League!’ were the most numerous, and the shouts rang out in unison, as if they were shouting into a microphone.

When Rika heard that, she was startled and her shoulders shook. She soon realized that it was the audience’s voice, but her surprise did not go away.

Her eyes, which had been letting out meaningless moans of ‘uh, uh’, turned red.

Soon, she frowned, turned her face down as if vomiting, and held her head.

[HPT Music Awards Song of the Year! The glorious protagonist is!]

The winner was announced.

Snow White, who had been looking at the floor with her hands clasped together, fell down under the chair.

Shin A-reum, who had been sitting still and smiling, continued to have a stiff smile on her face.

Rika covered her mouth and buried her face in her knees.

Joara was blankly staring. She was so blankly staring that it made you wonder if there was such a stupid face in the world.

And then, Jang Ha-yang slowly got up.

* * *

Jang Ha-yang, 25 years old, 4th year in the Girls’ League.

Our producing season 3.

‘Finally, it’s starting to show.’

At the end of the world, the ‘best idol’ is right before your eyes.

“My dream is to create the best idol.”

I knew it from the moment Seongpil said that.

I have always believed, without a shred of doubt, that there must be a point at which there is a best idol, and that Girls’ League will reach that point.

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

The reason Jang Ha-yang was able to believe in that dream was because everyone in the Girls’ League was there.

‘thank you.’

debut.

Main prize.

#1 on real-time charts.

Best Performance Award.

Every moment gave confidence to the Girls’ League, Garo Enter, and Jang Ha-yang.

Because of those moments, I was able to proudly stand up straight despite the ridicule of others.

We will definitely do it.

I think it could be possible.

Look, haven’t we come this way?

‘I have walked this splendid and bright path with everyone.’

So it will definitely lead to the best idol.

A brilliant starting line and beautiful milestones.

With respect and gratitude to all those past members and those who reached that past.

we are.

I am.

“You will become the best idol.”

I’m going to the American Music Awards.

I’m also going to the Billboard Music Awards.

Participate in the Kohaku Uta Gassen.

And I went to the Grammy Awards.

Standing at Wembley Stadium in England.

Stepping into Rose Hall in the United States.

We also go to Tokyo Dome, Jamsil Olympic Stadium, and Stade de France.

Achieve 100 billion won in sales with world tour concerts.

They also won ‘Tour of the Year’ at the American Music Awards.

It will also be named ‘Music Moment of the Year’ by ‘New Musical Express’.

Reached #1 on the Oricon charts, weekly #1, monthly #1, and yearly #1.

It will reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

It also reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

It is also a given that it will reach number one on the Billboard Global 200 chart.

From one to ten, everything glorious, everything glorious, I will devour greedily.

‘I don’t doubt anymore.’

Of course, me, and even you who laughed at us.

‘I’m not satisfied with a half-assed ending.’

We won first place by beating our rivals on a music show, so it’s our victory.

You have become a famous idol active overseas, or something like that.

I was invited to a famous awards ceremony in the US, same thing.

‘I can’t be satisfied with such a vague ending.’

As the ‘best idol’, they will make an indelible record in the history of world popular music.

So, it is only natural that he would win the HPT Music Award Grand Prize.

‘The end of the world is still far away.’

I won’t stop until I become the best idol.

‘We will fly to the sky and rise higher than that.’

It reaches to the sky beyond the sky.

* * *

[Song of the Year, congratulations!

Girls’ League ‘Song for People’!]

Jang Ha-yang stood up and hugged all the members in one arm.

‘Song for People’.

Against the backdrop of a hymn of love dedicated to the people, Jang Ha-yang hugged her beloved members and said:

“Stop crying and go. You can cry enough on stage.”

Even Jang Ha-yang, who said that, had a hard time holding back her tears.

Looking at the members embracing each other, I can’t help but laugh.

‘Thank you, Beauty.’

When I was preparing to debut with ‘No’, you hated me a lot. Oh, of course I understand. Because I hated myself too.

But still, thank you for believing in me and practicing with me. Thanks to you, I was able to find the courage to stand up again.

‘Thank you, Rika.’

You always make my stupid jokes fun. Even though you may not have felt anything, you’ve always been a great help to me with your little compliments that lift me up.

My lovely little sister. If it weren’t for you, would I have become such a bright person?

‘Thank you, Sister.’

My older sister who is soft but strict when she needs to be. Even if I had a real older sister, she wouldn’t have cared for me like Seol-ha did.

My sister who was worried about the lyrics during ‘Long Four’ and my sister who was depressed and said it was burdensome during ‘Apple Crush’, they all shined brightly.

Because I know that the weakness that my sister shows is not because she is truly weak, but because she is kind and does not want to hurt others.

I really, really love my sister.

‘Araya, thank you.’

Even in ‘Arabesque’ and ‘Automata’, the ideals you set for me were so high that I was afraid. I even doubted myself, wondering if I was someone you didn’t need.

But now I know.

The ideals and dreams you hold onto come from us. They were pushed forward because there was an expectation that we could do it.

You are the member who has the most expectations for me. You are my trustworthy younger brother who believed in me the most.

“thank you.”

I could never have gotten this far if I were alone.

“thank you…….”

Letting go of her lovely members, Jang Ha-yang moved forward.

It was too splendid a place to be called a mere milestone.

The most certain point leading to the ‘best idol’.

“Let’s go and receive the grand prize.”