The Reincarnated Idol Hard Carries an Indie Band - Chapter 93

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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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A Former Idol Does Hard Carry for an Indie Band
Episode 93
The idol industry has a common pattern—as if it were written into law.
The route where smaller idols claim the top spot on music charts or music broadcast rankings.
They make a comeback with a strong track and generate buzz.
After showing the public a good image, before that popularity cools, they release a track with mass appeal and seize number one with it.
It was a flow I’d witnessed countless times in my past life.
And would that pattern apply to indie bands too?
Since I’d never seen it firsthand, I had no choice but to test it myself.
Our situation now was exactly the same.
We reversed the bad public opinion we’d gotten the moment we appeared, and went on an audition program before those incidents faded.
And we gained the image of a brave band that had a full-scale confrontation with a corrupt broadcasting station.
Lee Do Young became a bereaved family member who lost his brother to the broadcasters, and a noble musician inheriting his brother’s music.
And with the public now aware of Okgtop, the music was gaining recognition too.
Our next track would probably achieve good results.
On the drive back to Seoul after staying up all night, everyone was asleep.
“You’re not sleeping?”
“No, I’m not tired.”
“Your stamina really is different—must be from all that exercise.”
“Boss, do you know any large concert venues where indie bands perform?”
“Want to hold a concert?”
“Yes, I’d like to do it on a bigger scale, but I want it to avoid feeling too much like celebrity entertainment.”
“Hmm, for indie band venues, you’d be better off asking Deok Chul than me.”
“Oh, I see. What’s Jang Deok Chul up to these days?”
“He’s helping with Jo Hyun Woo’s album preparation, looked pretty swamped. Give him a call before you visit.”
“Understood.”
Now that I thought about it, we hadn’t met with the Jo Hyun Woo Band separately since then.
It’d be nice to get some help with album preparation from them.
Let’s try reaching out to them gradually.
First, I need to scout venues as soon as I get back to Seoul.
* * *
Despite the audition program ending, the world remained noisy.
Because the incident carried such weight, public anger showed no sign of subsiding.
Of course, the legal judgment would be carried out and it was no longer our concern, but still.
“Three million won?”
“Yeah, around that, right?”
The day after returning from vacation in Incheon.
I went straight to Jang Deok Chul and asked about a large concert venue in Hongdae.
I was startled to hear that decent places charged about three million won per day rental.
“Wow, that’s steep.”
“If I say something, they might cut you a deal.”
“Please help us, boss!”
“So, business hasn’t been good for you guys lately? Five of you should be able to cover that.”
Even though we were high school students, our Digital Music royalties were quite solid.
Until now, we’d been so busy with the audition program that we hadn’t had the luxury of spending much.
We’d been saving our earnings diligently, so the concert hall rental didn’t feel like a burden.
“No, it’s not that—there are other things we need to spend on separately.”
“What spending does a student have?”
“If we’re putting on a big concert anyway, it’d be nice if the scale matched, you know?”
“Scale?”
Anyway, there were places money would have to go.
So I hoped the boss would cut the rental fee as much as possible.
* * *
As time passed, the story of Who’s The Real and Okgtop inevitably faded from public attention.
New issues emerged by the day, and people naturally turned their eyes to what was new.
But when it comes to the punishment of wrongdoers, the public is equally vigilant until that verdict comes down.
Lee Jong Myung’s trial proceeded quickly, thanks to how noisy public opinion was.
Plus, I heard that Lee Do Young’s family had filed a separate lawsuit as well.
And we had to move quickly to showcase new developments before our popularity cooled.
We took about a week of rest, then immediately began moving toward our next plan.
“Three million won just for venue rental?”
“Yeah, the place can hold four hundred people, so it’s big and expensive. But since the boss knows the owner, they might cut it a bit.”
“Man, with guest appearance fees on top of that, we’re looking at real money, huh?”
Our next plan was to hold a concert.
Broadcasting appearance offers were pouring in, but none of us wanted them.
Now is not the time for us to show our faces on broadcast much.
The networks courting us now are clearly just trying to squeeze the marrow from newcomers.
Their attitude might look like, “We’d be so grateful if such amazing people would appear on our show.”
But in reality, they’re planning to use us as a trial, and if ratings or entertainment value are good, keep us.
If not, then it’s a one-off appearance.
It’s obvious they’re calculating at that level.
But that’s not the kind of treatment I want for my kids.
I wanted to make the networks feel genuine desperation—”Please, we just want to try getting them on our show once.”
For that to happen, broadcast appearances are still premature.
Besides, we’re an indie band, no matter what anyone says.
We needed to move around more in the Indie Scene.
Of course, this kind of move would help Okgtop greatly before long.
Kim Ji Hu, Kang Min, and I took on securing the venue and overall concert planning.
Heo Jun Sung and Lee Do Young were assigned to scout guest performers.
While everyone carried out their roles, the biggest headache was the budget.
“Since we don’t know if we’ll get a discount, let’s tentatively set the venue fee at three million….”
“Guest appearance fees should run around one-point-two to one-point-five million.”
“We need Posters printed too.”
“Right, and for the Posters, where else….”
All together, holding the concert would probably require about five million won.
One million each.
Even with our decent Digital Music earnings, it was a sum difficult for high school students to spend.
“This is tough for you guys too, right?”
“I can manage my own share somehow.”
“But covering the others like before will be hard?”
“Hmm….”
Lee Do Young’s family would be swamped with lawsuit issues.
And Heo Jun Sung’s household was already struggling enough.
This time, I’d have to cover some of it.
My Royalties came in much higher than theirs.
And right now, my money doesn’t matter.
I wanted to hold this concert even if it meant spending a lot.
“Okay, I’ll cover the extra.”
“Will that work?”
“Huh? That’s too much money!”
“No, if they can’t afford it, we should help. You two covered a lot for Jun Sung and Do Young last time anyway.”
The Showcase we’d held after releasing our first full-length Album.
Back then, those two had pitched in a lot to cover Heo Jun Sung and Lee Do Young’s share.
This time, it was my turn.
“Hey, I’ll help too.”
“Me as well!”
I tried to stop them several times, but they said a little extra strain was nothing and opened their wallets.
Money is a sensitive issue in relationships.
I could only feel grateful for kids who could spend so freely for the sake of the team.
* * *
While planning the concert, we were simultaneously preparing something else.
“Alright! Good, that’s far enough!”
“Is it pretty much done?”
“Yeah, just needs some mastering and we’re finished.”
It was our next Album work.
Kim Ji Hu had finished his part early because of the college entrance exam and rushed off to a study room.
The remaining four of us completed the tracks.
Since we’d kept working even while participating in the audition program, this Album didn’t take long to finish.
It was like having sketched a long composition beforehand and now simply applying the colors we’d already planned.
Now all I had to do was master it and hand it over to the distributor.
Of course, that was just about the music.
“What do we do about the Album Cover and Music Video?”
“Should we ask Jo Sung Hoon again? Is he busy these days?”
Lee Do Young answered my question.
“No, Jo Sung Hoon’s done with his exams and has free time. I think he’d do it if asked—should I check with him?”
“Yeah, please ask him.”
“Sure.”
“Okay, so for the Album Cover….”
I tried to think what would work, but nothing specific came to mind.
The track we were releasing this time had mass appeal similar to “Rendezvous,” capturing the feeling of youth.
We could’ve done something rougher and more intense.
But before leaving my teens, I wanted to try this kind of thing once more.
There’s a sensibility you can only capture genuinely at this age.
“Hey, Heo Jun Sung. You got any ideas? Something that feels youthful like that.”
“Yeah?”
“What?”
“You know, that thing.”
“That thing?”
“Yeah, remember when we went to the beach a while back and the boss took that picture?”
“…Man, are you a genius?”
“This isn’t much.”
And just like that, the Album Cover was decided.
I wanted this Album to capture our honest selves.
I can’t be entirely sure, but after this Album, we’ll have to push ourselves crazily.
And it’ll become harder to comfortably capture the youth of our younger selves.
Because ahead, we’ll have to keep showing and proving ourselves endlessly.
There, on the main stage.

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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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