Chapter 93

At two in the afternoon, in a dance training class in the eastern part of Hongdae, Li Huanle was seriously discussing with Kim Hwalan, also known as Lia.

"Alright, alright, didn't we already practice it well the other day? There's no problem, don't worry too much. Rather, you... are you really going to challenge that Yu Yongjin with this song? Even though the song and dance are indeed eye-catching, even if you're not a singer, you should know this song isn't as good as your 'Do Your Best First'!"

Li Huanle nodded and smiled, "Of course, I know that. Having Yu Yongjin evaluate such a song is like offering my head on a platter. Don't worry, I'm not that stupid!"

"Yoyoyo, Li Huanle, you..."

"Yo, what the hell are you two doing here?" Li Huanle looked at the Kim brothers who had swaggered into the dance studio, clearly annoyed.

"Damn, you're just ungrateful, aren't you? We finally finished the product and sent it to you a few days ago, and now you're just brushing us off. You're really not fair!" Kim Ae-seok complained, clearly unhappy.

Li Huanle ignored the two of them; it was obvious they had come to watch the show.

At that moment, besides the Kim brothers, Kim Hwalan, and Li Huanle, there were four male backup dancers in the room, all of whom Kim Hwalan had found to help out recently. Li Huanle had already met them and practiced with them twice.

Actually, Li Huanle wasn't as concerned about this collaboration with 21 members as before. It wasn't because of the absence of someone, but because his focus had shifted to the battle with Yu Yongjin.

After all, even if this song became popular, Yu Yongjin would still find some way to criticize it for lacking uniqueness. But the reality of the Korean music industry was that it was full of pop songs and electronic music, with occasional fresh tunes that didn't last long. Those who managed to break out of this mold either became huge stars or just got by.

However, Li Huanle wouldn't give up on this collaboration. After successfully challenging Yu Yongjin in a month, this pop song could be praised as distinctive. After all, the media never lacked for sensationalism. Many were watching, waiting for Li Huanle's new song in a month, ready to see who would be proven wrong. Most people still thought Li Huanle would end up in a bad situation.

"Knock knock!"

"Ah, shoot!"

Just as Li Huanle and the others were chatting, a knock came from the glass door, and then a broad-shouldered man in a T-shirt and baseball cap, along with the members of 21, walked in. It was姜虎东 (Jang Hodong).

"Hello, Brother Hodong, hello to all the seniors... Who are these?" Li Huanle smiled and greeted them, then looked at the two VJs holding cameras and a middle-aged man with a cap, asking curiously.

Jang Hodong also smiled and greeted Li Huanle, then whispered, "PD Ro Young-shik wants to record some footage, so he came with two VJs. After all, this is quite a hot topic online, and it's a collaboration with 21. We'll just set up two camera positions, and they won't stay here, so it shouldn't disturb you, right?"

Li Huanle was slightly surprised but still smiled, "No problem, but some things we'll be doing later can't be released yet. Of course, before that, we need to have a proper discussion as per our agreement!"

"Don't worry, don't worry, we understand. Come, come, let me introduce you to our members and PD Ro Young-shik!"

Jang Hodong breathed a sigh of relief. From his previous interaction with Li Huanle, he knew this young man wasn't simple. If Li Huanle had refused, Jang Hodong would have been in a difficult position. Fortunately, Li Huanle gave him face.

Then, Li Huanle met the 21 members: Im Ji-won, MC Mong, Lee Soo-geun, and Kim C, as well as PD Ro Young-shik. Li Huanle also introduced Kim Hwalan, also known as Lia, and some of the backup dancers.

Im Ji-won and MC Mong were both well-known in the music industry and, of course, recognized the famous Lia, though they weren't very familiar with her. They had met her a couple of times, as Lia had worked with Lee Hyori for a while.

Artists often look different in private compared to on TV. Among the five, if anyone could be said to be consistent, it was Kim C.

Im Ji-won was 31 years old, the former leader of the disbanded boy group Sechskies, and was still active in music. He was also a regular member of "2 Days & 1 Night." However, the most impressive thing about him was that his father had worked at the Blue House and later in business in Seoul, giving him a good family background.

MC Mong, 30, was a popular hip-hop artist. Lee Soo-geun, 34, was a well-known comedian. Kim C, 38, was also a musician.

Together with 39-year-old Jang Hodong, these five were a solid group of uncles.

The five were not pretentious. Apart from Kim C, who was slightly introverted, the other four were quite talkative. They sat on the floor with Li Huanle and had a serious conversation.

Li Huanle didn't beat around the bush. After a brief introduction, he got straight to the point: "I believe Brother Hodong has already explained the reasons. Now, let's talk about the practical aspects. This video production includes recording, dancing, performance, and a simple dance version of the MV. As for whether to release this song, you can discuss it among yourselves. First, my friends and I will perform, and you can listen to the song. If you're not very interested, that's fine too. We can just have Brother Hodong bring some backup dancers!"

"Hey, that's not what you said last time! Didn't you say you wanted all five of us?" Jang Hodong called out, worried that Im Ji-won and the others might leave him.

Im Ji-won, however, said seriously, "Your arrangement is good and reasonable. We can decide after watching the performance and listening to your new song. But is this the song you're preparing for a month from now?"

Im Ji-won was a bit curious, and the others were similar. Li Huanle shook his head and smiled, "Of course not. This song was prepared a while ago and the dance has already been choreographed. It's not the song I'll be presenting to someone in a month. Don't worry, I won't involve you in this matter!"

"Hey, what are you saying? Am I the kind of person who backs down from a challenge? Besides, think about it, when you were on the show, how many times did I say I liked that song and thought it was good? What Yu Yongjin said isn't just your problem. If you need any help, just say so, and I'll do my best to assist you!" Jang Hodong's angry words left Li Huanle speechless.

But upon reflection, it seemed to be true. When an expert suddenly contradicted a song that many amateurs or non-experts liked, it drew a lot of attention. When Jang Hodong saw the news, his first reaction was annoyance. He didn't care about the song's characteristics; from a layman's perspective, he liked the song and thought it was good. The show had praised it many times, but now, with Yu Yongjin's criticism, he felt like a fool.

Moreover, Yu Yongjin's claim that Li Huanle had only studied for three months and the CCM promotion were also a slap in the face of "Starking." Was it suggesting that "Starking" was fake, or that SK was collaborating with CCM for promotion?

In fact, Yu Yongjin hadn't thought much about it at the time, but now that the situation had escalated, he was quite regretful. During a heart-to-heart talk with Lee Soo-man, he realized that he had spread his criticism too widely.

Not to mention, the person who directly contradicted him, Jang Myung-shik, was not someone to be trifled with. Adding to that, Lee Soo-man mentioned the guests of the "Starking" show. Thinking about one of the two major mountains in the hosting world, even if he was the "godfather" of Korean music, his influence in the eyes of the public might not match that of Jang Hodong, who was loved by more than just young people.

Most people who knew Yu Yongjin were young and from the industry.