Chapter 92

Drama OST

Today was the day when the OST of "First Love Doesn't Exist," which I sang, was released. I placed the sleeping Hyun on my lap and entered the drama monitoring session with the members.

To help the member who missed the beginning, Seohoon hyung briefly summarized the plot before we started watching the drama.

He mentioned that the story unfolds as the male and female leads, who were once in a sweet and loving relationship during their school days, transition into a reunion scene where the female lead recalls their past.

The song I sang was a poignant OST that played during a sad scene, which also implied that their breakup was imminent.

"Wow! The female lead seems to sense something strange!"

The female lead, who was deeply in love and could only see her partner, found it odd that the male lead didn't come to school and tried calling him.

"Whoa! What? He's missing?"

Thanks to Parkha's real-time reactions, the drama became even more thrilling. The other members were so engrossed that they didn't even have time to drink the iced tea in front of them.

Even though everyone loved the sweet and tangy iced tea that Ji-on blended, the drama was so interesting that they almost forgot about it.

"First Love Doesn't Exist" was said to have good ratings, and as the episodes progressed, it had a captivating power.

If the drama does well, the royalties from the OST could also be substantial. Then I should think about what gifts to give the members and the company staff.

Honestly, I want Theora to do well more than making a lot of money. But if I hoped for us to become stars like a meteor since our debut, it would be greedy.

Still, several months after the album release, the gradually rising chart rankings proved that our efforts were not in vain.

The number of members joining the fan club and the number of cottages (fans) who come to live broadcasts were increasing daily.

When there's an official opportunity to meet the cottages directly, will I really feel Theora's position?

"Yiwan hyung! Your song is coming up!"

The female lead searched for the male lead, who had vanished like midday dew.

As the female lead shed tears while recalling the male lead, who disappeared without a trace, the OST I sang, "You Are Not a Given," played in the background.

The members held their breath and focused on the song.

Among all the people in this world, why

Did I fall in love with you, a miracle I now regret

I didn't know you were a mirage

Are you not a given?

For an OST that usually only plays highlights, it was quite a long piece.

I remember feeling a headache when I received the request to compose a song that encapsulates the theme of "unavoidable separation of a couple."

The melody came quickly, but writing the lyrics was difficult. I struggled to write lyrics that were melodramatic yet not cliché.

When I struggled with the lyrics, the A&R team leader asked if I wanted to commission a professional lyricist.

After deciding to try it myself, I brought the lyrics I had worked hard on, and the team leader praised them.

He said, "You write well, so don't make a fuss for nothing."

While it was good enough to be accepted, he added a lot of praise to avoid making me feel embarrassed or lose confidence.

I hope people don't overthink the lyrics while listening to the OST. At least, it's not the main OST, which is a relief.

"Is the song good?"

The overall quality wasn't bad. The deep and emotional voice that Hyun-oh hyung gave me suited the song well.

"It's more than good. I was moved when your voice came on."

Seohoon hyung praised the song, saying it perfectly matched the story's emotional tone.

Actually, I had never been in love, so I used my breakup with Hyun-oh hyung as a reference when writing the lyrics.

The part about regretting the miracle that brought us together was a bit of a twist, but I used it as a reference for the emotional tone. That's why I felt a lot of emotional fluctuation while recording.

Seohoon hyung, who has a sensitive sense, seemed to pick up on the difference.

The judgment is up to the viewers, but the positive reaction was reassuring.

"I like it because it's a solo song, so I can hear Yiwan hyung's voice for a long time!"

Parkha said it would be a meaningful gift to the fans.

"You can look at it that way."

I started working on the OST to help Theora, a group, and to improve my songwriting skills by composing songs in various genres.

I thought it would be great if it could also raise Theora's recognition.

However, I realized that my solo song could be a gift to the fans.

"I should actively take on song requests in the future."

"You thought it through. Our album should be the priority, but it would be a waste to let your songwriting skills and voice go to waste."

Is that so? Everyone nodded in agreement with Chorok hyung's opinion.

"Ham Yiwan, I heard you've been consistently composing songs lately. Do you have a lot of songs piled up? On average, how long does it take you to compose a song?"

"A day or two?"

Active idols can release one or two albums a year, and sometimes three. Even if all the tracks on those albums are filled, it would still be an overflow.

Of course, most of the songs I write are far from my standards, so I can't use them except for a few.

However, when I get inspired, I can produce a song right away.

"Hey, you should have told us!"

"What?"

"Wow, I'm so frustrated!"

What did I do wrong?

Oran pounded his chest with his fists, and Parkha covered her mouth with both hands, wide-eyed.

Seeing Parkha's inability to hide her surprise, I felt like I had done something wrong.

"I need to reflect. As a leader, I've been neglecting the members. I didn't know about such a significant matter. I mentioned once that I composed a song in a day during the song selection process…."

"It's a relief to know now."

Seeing Chorok hyung suddenly reflecting and Seohoon hyung sighing in relief, I felt guilty.

I must have done something seriously wrong.

"Yiwan, do you have any rap beats?"

"You're thinking about beats even in this situation. Ji-on."

"Of course. We have a songwriting machine here, so we need to start with the beats. Seohoon, would you refuse if I gave you a rap beat?"

"Well, I wouldn't refuse…."

Ji-on was scolding him for looking for a rap beat, but when the question came back, he couldn't give a clear answer.

Seohoon hyung is a rapper who does more melodic raps than Ji-on, so he is more suitable for the style of the songs I compose.

Clap, clap!

Parkha clapped her hands to lighten the mood. I was also in a difficult situation, so I was glad for her action.

"I'll compose any song you want in no time! Isn't that right, Yiwan hyung?"

"…Huh?"

"We won't exploit your labor for free! You can ask for whatever you want for the songwriting fee!"

What do they think I'll ask for, and why are they telling me to ask for whatever I want?

I don't plan to sell songs to the members for money, but it's hard to give a positive answer because I rarely produce songs that satisfy me.

"If you give me enough time, I'll try…."

"I can see what you're thinking! If you don't produce a perfect song, you'll keep practicing indefinitely, right?"

I didn't say anything. Parkha's perceptiveness is improving day by day.

"Look! You can't answer! Yiwan hyung, your standards for songs are too high. So, before you bury them as practice, let us hear them once! It's not difficult, right?"

"It's not difficult, but is that enough?"

"It's enough. Definitely!"

"Ham Yiwan, you will have to get our approval every time you compose a song. We should probably make it a rule."

Are they going to set such an embarrassing rule?

I feel embarrassed to show songs that don't meet my standards to others. It feels like showing a personal diary.

Isn't it natural to only release the songs I've carefully selected from my practice?

"Ham Yiwan, you need to learn the perspective of ordinary people."

"…?"

Ordinary perspective? What exactly is that?

I've always judged my songs by my standards, so I'm confused if those standards are wrong.

"Set a more lenient standard! Most people, including us, are not as picky as you in terms of taste and hearing."

"Oh…."

Is that what it is? I've always known about my sensitive hearing. Moreover, I've listened to countless songs across genres, so I might have a different standard.

We should set a strict standard for our group's album, but for other songs, we need to be a bit more flexible.

"I understand. I'll show you songs that seem decent from now on."

"Okay! That's all I need! Hee hee!"

Parkha smiled, satisfied that her explanation was understood.

"Still, we should make it a rule."

"Chorok hyung…."

Chorok hyung added an item to Theora's rule list, which is posted inside the front door, saying we should review it every time we leave the house.

There's no need to set it as a rule…?

"I feel so relieved."

I tried to get him to remove the rule, but Chorok hyung was firm. The other members just laughed and watched.

"Why do you all become one when you're teasing me?"

Seohoon hyung told me this is the "real Theora" and advised me to get used to it.

Should I say I won't give them songs? I thought about it for a moment but gave up. The members would see through my insincerity and just look at me fondly.

While heading to the practice room, I seriously reflected on how I ended up in this position.

It was late at night, but tomorrow was an important day when we would show Theora singing at the "First Love Doesn't Exist" filming site.

* * *

The OST for the male lead's theme, sung by actor Naohyuk, was unexpectedly successful.

Actor Naohyuk is known for his excellent acting skills and good personality. Recently, he has gained popularity through a healing variety show.

Moreover, the character he plays in this drama is often described as being like the real Naohyuk.

Given these conditions, the male lead's theme song naturally became Naohyuk's theme song.

The synergy of these factors led the drama production company to make me an offer.

"Mr. Ham, would you like to make a cameo appearance?"

While I appreciated the offer, I didn't think there would be much benefit from a brief solo appearance. So, I suggested that it would be better if all Theora members appeared together or if there was a scene where we sang.

A group appearance by Theora would help raise our recognition, and a singing scene would allow us to showcase our songs.

Either one would be a significant opportunity for us.

I didn't tell the members about the proposal, but a few days later, I received a response.

The scene would include all Theora members singing the title song.

I couldn't believe it when I heard the news. We would be able to show Theora singing on a terrestrial TV drama!

When I shared the news with the members, the practice room was in an uproar. The excitement didn't subside for a while, and the practice sessions were carried out with enthusiasm.

And today, we headed to the "First Love Doesn't Exist" filming site, determined to stay as calm as possible.