Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 237

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Episode 29.

“…Are you suggesting we add a featuring artist?”

Inside the Conference Room.
Yun Chung asked back to Representative Choi Han-jin, whose image was displayed on the large screen.

-That’s right. To break into the Billboard charts, that would be a stronger positive factor. Right now, you all are too….

Representative Choi trailed off, but I could roughly anticipate what would come next.
Too unknown to be viable, I suppose.

“But… if we do that, people might say it feels too much like taking shortcuts.”
“These days, people actually love that kind of networking power. The positive reactions far outweigh the negative.”

Hong President interjected at my words.

“We’re spending serious money to bring in a singer who appears frequently on the Billboard charts, and you’re not satisfied with that?”
“It’s not that I’m dissatisfied. It just doesn’t feel like a good move.”
“Why not? Other idols would bow in gratitude for an opportunity like this, wouldn’t they?”

I’ve felt this way about Hong President for a while now—it’s always this vibe of ‘I’m investing so much in you, so shut up and be grateful.’
Before, I didn’t realize he was this shameless about taking credit because he was always so stingy with money, but now that he’s started spending, I see it crystal clear.

‘The audacity of a small fish with grand delusions….’

I exhaled a quiet sigh to myself.

“It’s because you can clearly see the money behind the casting. Of course, if a hot American artist does a featuring, it definitely helps with promotion—that part’s true. But that’s only a real ‘positive factor’ if they propose it first because they see our value, or if it’s a genuine win-win situation where we both benefit. If it just looks like we’re throwing money at promotion to anyone watching… it becomes stale and barely effective.”

I need to be clear about understanding the situation.
Of course, the public appreciates quality when money is spent generously without hesitation. They can feel the care.
But it can’t feel like nouveau riche desperation. The moment it seems like we’re trying to solve everything with money, everything falls apart.
The main focus should be our talent and charm—StillBlue’s.
Not riding on the coattails of a wealthy Entertainment Company.

“…That’s quite demanding.”
-But it’s certainly a valid point.

Choi Han-jin smiled and raised my hand in agreement.

-As you said, that kind of tactic can feel a bit stale. But what if we put the featuring only on the pre-release track instead of the title track?
“!”

Only on the pre-release track…

-You’ve been emphasizing something all along. That to break into the Billboard Hot 100, you actually shouldn’t sound like you’re targeting Billboard. That’s a strategy only artists already established on Billboard choose—for groups like StillBlue who still focus mainly on the domestic market, it would actually backfire.
“It’s just my opinion, but yes.”

I nodded in agreement.

-After hearing that, we thought about it too, and it seems right. If we aim too blatantly at Billboard, it definitely feels… ‘try-hard’.

The word ‘try-hard’ drew small laughs from various corners of the conference room.
…Except from Kim Geum.
Kim Geum was completely cracking up, laughing loudly. I shot her a glance for being so obviously amused.

“Thank you for reflecting my opinion.”
-No, I personally hope you’ll share more of your thoughts. It’s definitely… different from a manager’s perspective, and that’s refreshing.

I looked anew at Choi Han-jin on the screen.
He’s definitely very different from Hong President. Hong President is a remarkable person, but perhaps because he knows he’s remarkable, he has quite an autocratic side and a strong sense of arrogance.
That tendency sometimes leads him down the wrong path.
But Choi Han-jin didn’t have that feeling at all. Rather, he felt very flexible and gentle.
Of course, I shouldn’t let my guard down. He’s someone who climbed from the very bottom of All Season to the director position.
…Baek Ju-ha said he was four-dimensional, but I still don’t understand what that means.
From what I’ve seen so far, he’s definitely much easier to communicate with than Hong President.

-Anyway, so we’re thinking of mixing it about fifty-fifty. The pre-release track will go with a subtle approach to targeting Billboard, while the title track will maintain the domestic focus like before. We’re testing the waters. At this level, people might think ‘oh, your true intentions are showing a bit,’ but they’ll find it endearing.
“Testing the waters with just the pre-release track….”

I looked back at my members, asking what they thought.
All the members had bright expressions on their faces.
They seemed pleased with Choi Han-jin’s suggestion.

“Alright. So the pre-release track should aim for the Billboard charts a bit.”
-But there’s one problem.
“What kind of problem?”
-I’d prefer the lyrics for that pre-release track to be entirely in English. If Korean lyrics are included at all, only very sparingly—just ad-libs and backing vocals.
“!”
-But I heard you all insist on self-producing, self-writing, and self-composing.

Well, that’s true.
I could see Kim Geum and Yeon Ju-hong nodding their heads vigorously beside me with very proud expressions, but I chose to ignore them.

-So you’d have to write the full English lyrics yourselves. Is that possible?
“….”

Yun Chung looked quietly back and forth between the two of them.
Kim Geum on the left and Yeon Ju-hong on the right. But both of them desperately avoided her gaze.
…Of course it would turn out like this.
Cowardly bunch.
I could understand Kim Geum, but Yeon Ju-hong—you lived abroad when you were younger. Yun Chung glared at Yeon Ju-hong pointedly, but she absolutely refused to turn her head toward her.

“I’ll do it.”
“!”

Unexpectedly, the one who stepped into the situation was Ryu Bora.

“I listen to a lot of pop music usually, so it might help.”
“Your Bora Bora playlist is pretty intense, isn’t it?”
“I agree.”

All the members nodded together. Ryu Bora’s relentlessly consistent taste was already legendary.

-Then the problem’s solved.

Choi Han-jin smiled and clapped his hands together.
…Is it really solved?
Yun Chung looked at Ryu Bora with an uneasy expression.

“Is it okay?”
“You’re going to help anyway, unnie.”
“That’s true.”
“Then it’ll be resolved.”

What is this overwhelming sense of trust?
Yun Chung sensed something was wrong, but she didn’t push back further.
Ryu Bora was far too intimidating for that.

-Then can I also meddle a bit in the composition direction?
“Do you have a specific direction in mind?”
-Yeah. I’d really like it to be completely easy listening. Something that hits the ear hard, but… feels very comfortable and effortless.
“That’s the trend in the United States these days.”
-Right. But we can’t lose our identity, so it needs to be a K-pop idol song, but something a bit different.
“….”

This feels like ordering a hot iced Americano.

“Isn’t it something like: flashy yet simple, luxurious yet accessible, refined yet relatable?”
-You know exactly what I’m looking for?

Yun Chung revised her assessment of Representative Choi Han-jin.
This man was exactly like Hong President.
Just a slightly softer version of Hong President.

-Can you do it, Yun Chung?

At Choi Han-jin’s somewhat sinister smile, Yun Chung exhaled calmly.

“I have to.”

Did I ever really have a choice to begin with?
If I have to do it, I’ll see it through.

***

StillBlue’s pre-release track dropped?

Saltwater Mine is the pre-release track, apparently.
I thought the plosive would come out as distortion, but it didn’t.

The plosive was just being used…
The true pre-release track was Saltwater Mine, they say.
Saltwater Mine has full English lyrics.

StillBlue is going for the Billboard charts now.

It’s about time they aimed for it.
└Huh, I thought it was a bit early though;
Whoa, the Saltwater Mine music video just dropped.

Prism Homma clicked on the music video for the pre-release track, Saltwater Mine, faster than anyone else.

‘The thumbnail alone is insane.’

Seo Baek-young with her eyes closed, half-submerged in diamonds rendered like water?
Absolutely.
Prism Homma nodded with a reverent expression for some reason.
This is definitely a solid investment.
Seo Baek-young dressed more glamorously than anyone in the world—there was something fresh yet unfamiliar about it. With jewel accessories adorning her face and elaborate nail art, her hand framing her face, Seo Baek-young’s appearance was certainly different from her usual image.
The moment I clicked play while thinking that.
Seo Baek-young in the thumbnail—opened her eyes.

My diamond tears filled the sea
It’s an ocean now

Singing a melody far more rhythmic than expected yet soft and delicate—Seo Baek-young slowly rising from a bathtub filled with diamonds was absolutely breathtaking.

‘Is it a bit subdued?’

The moment I harbored that doubt, Seo Baek-young’s expression transformed completely.
Not the composed expression from before—

Let my tears make the ocean
It’s okay,
I’ll be the god of it

With an intensely fierce expression.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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