Chapter 40

Listening helplessly to Lee Joo-young's passionate aspirations, Moon Jung-woo felt that he might really be a good teacher, but intuitively thought that such a person might not be a good CEO. Too idealistic, too emotional, and at least in his fifties, his enthusiasm was like that of a young man, which was really hard to bear. How had he not noticed this trait in him over the past two months?

"I will make you the best and most talented idol in the Korean entertainment industry, let your name resound throughout Asia. Let your English be heard in America, and your Chinese in the Greater China region. Let your..."

"Let me debut in Korea first, please." Moon Jung-woo narrowed his eyes and smiled, interrupting Lee Joo-young, who was spouting off. Perhaps Moon Jung-woo's calm expression dampened the mood, as Lee Joo-young instantly cooled down.

He took a sip of water, only then realizing his mouth was dry. Putting down the cup, Lee Joo-young looked at Moon Jung-woo: "How about it? You should be satisfied with me as your teacher, right?"

Moon Jung-woo nodded: "If you want to train me to be a public speaker, you are absolutely qualified and even more than enough."

"Ah, no!" Lee Joo-young waved his hand: "You, this kid, can't change your sharp tongue."

Moon Jung-woo smiled even more brightly, but in Lee Joo-young's eyes, it looked like he was asking for a beating. However, it was important to focus on the main task, at least to get him ready for his debut.

After a moment of contemplation, he lost some of his enthusiasm: "Let Jun-young teach you dancing, focus on one style, but also explore others. Then follow the company's trainees for acting classes, and watch two movies every day."

Moon Jung-woo nodded, but after a while, there was no sound. Curious, he looked up and found Lee Joo-young staring blankly. Moon Jung-woo laughed and said: "That's it?"

Lee Joo-young looked at Moon Jung-woo and soon laughed: "Actually, you're right."

Moon Jung-woo scratched his head: "I don't think I have anything to argue with you about, do I?"

Lee Joo-young waved his hand: "I mean your attitude and temperament."

Moon Jung-woo shrugged: "That's just the way it is. I guess the reason you don't have many trainees is that they were all scared off by you. Too much passion can lead to failure, which is not good."

Lee Joo-young was at a loss for words: "What a mess." After a moment of contemplation, he looked at Moon Jung-woo: "So, does this mean you agree to me being your teacher?"

Moon Jung-woo pursed his lips and nodded: "Agreed. I just hope you won't be so passionate in motivating me in the future. I'm afraid I might explode before I debut."

Lee Joo-young helplessly pointed at him and shook his head: "Alright. Focus on the basics, that's what's important. As for passionate encouragement, I know you don't lack it. Whether or not you get encouragement, you must move forward, with no turning back."

Moon Jung-woo cleared his throat: "You're off topic again. You just said that dancing and acting will be taught by others, so what will you teach me? Are you just going to be a nominal teacher?"

Lee Joo-young frowned: "Kid, it's right not to follow the path I point out, but don't underestimate your teacher. There are many things I can teach you. First, creation. Do you think inspiration alone is enough?"

Moon Jung-woo was taken aback, remembering the strange scene from that day, he pursed his lips and said nothing. Lee Joo-young chuckled: "And your voice, singing techniques. Most importantly, how to transform into a producer, creating your own works and those of other singers, and so on."

Moon Jung-woo nodded, his expression becoming serious. But as he spoke, Lee Joo-young suddenly frowned, stood up, and went to Moon Jung-woo's side: "Stand up."

Moon Jung-woo instinctively stood up, and Lee Joo-young placed his hand on his stomach: "Pronunciation. Do, re, mi, fa... sing each note up the scale."

Moon Jung-woo cleared his throat: "I'm still in my voice change."

Lee Joo-young waved his hand: "I want to hear your voice during the change."

Moon Jung-woo nodded and began: "Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, si, do..." He sang each note, but by the third round of "fa," his voice became hoarse. Lee Joo-young was taken aback and frowned: "It doesn't seem very high. Was it always like this?"

Moon Jung-woo shook his head: "I don't know. I rarely sing. The song 'From the Beginning to Now' was something I learned later."

Seeing Lee Joo-young deep in thought, Moon Jung-woo, who also knew some music theory, asked directly: "Is it too low? Is that not acceptable?"

Lee Joo-young came to his senses, smiled, patted his shoulder, and had him sit down, sitting beside him: "Not necessarily. The pitch is innate, but it can be improved through training. Your voice quality is not bad, even during the voice change, it can be felt."

Pausing, Lee Joo-young continued: "I'm just not sure if this is related to your voice change, suppressing your range and pitch. After all, you've already entered the voice change period, and I haven't heard your original voice."

Moon Jung-woo chuckled: "That's a problem. If it's related to the voice change, it might be even lower after the change."

Lee Joo-young was taken aback and rubbed his head: "You have a pretty calm attitude. Aren't you worried at all? No matter how big your dreams, you have to debut as an idol first, or... try acting?"

Moon Jung-woo waved his hand: "Actors don't usually transition to singers. If you want to develop in both areas, it's best to debut as a singer first."

Lee Joo-young chuckled: "Alright, you're indeed smart. In the past two months, you've started to have the demeanor of someone in this industry."

Nodding, Lee Joo-young continued: "I think so too. Besides, SW is a company that produces idol singers, and the entertainment industry is dominated by the major TV stations. We can speak up when sending idols to TV stations for promotions, but for auditions, it doesn't matter much whether you have a company or not."

Moon Jung-woo's expression was calm: "I haven't had those dreams. Acting and such are for the future. Everything depends on opportunities. I know nothing now, and on the first day of meeting my teacher, I received a bad omen. It's a bit discouraging."

Lee Joo-young turned to look at him, at a loss for words: "Knowing you have a calm attitude, I'm relieved. However, during the voice change, you still need to practice. Not just your voice, but also your singing skills and breathing techniques."

Standing up and going to the drawer, he took out a piece of paper and handed it to Moon Jung-woo: "This is your daily training schedule. Follow this from now on."

Moon Jung-woo nodded and looked at it, seeing it was packed. After a while, he smiled at Lee Joo-young: "Teacher... I already feel like an idol. This schedule is both expensive and life-threatening."

Lee Joo-young waved his hand: "It's free, but whether it's life-threatening depends on you. Other trainees hope to debut early, but if there's no opportunity, they can wait. You don't even have the time to wait."

Moon Jung-woo touched his nose and said no more. Lee Joo-young pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Also, from now on, have a half-hour conversation with me every day. I'll tell you about the things to pay attention to after debuting and some basic rules. The best way to gain experience is through your own accumulation. But if you understand it earlier, when you encounter it, you can avoid some unnecessary trouble."

Moon Jung-woo bowed deeply: "Yes, teacher." This was the greatest favor a teacher could give. Experience. It also distinguished him from those who taught dozens of students. With so many students, they wouldn't repeatedly remind you based on your understanding. Training in Korean entertainment companies is never free.

Some outstanding trainees might have some fees waived in their contracts, or even receive some subsidies. But for most trainees, even after signing, they still have to pay for classes. This is why they work harder. Survival of the fittest. Especially in large companies, even practicing in the studio requires queuing.

Spending money doesn't guarantee a chance to practice, so not cherishing it means even less hope. Moon Jung-woo, a thirteen-year-old (fourteen by Korean age) who was picked up, was being trained by Lee Joo-young. He wouldn't say much in gratitude or emotional words like Lee Joo-young, but in his heart, he remembered everything.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and Lee Soon-gyu called out in dissatisfaction: "Are you done yet?! Jun-young oppa is getting impatient! Dad, if you want to kick him out of the company, do it quickly, so he stops asking me!"

Lee Joo-young was taken aback, at a loss for words. He waved for Moon Jung-woo to leave. As Moon Jung-woo walked out the door, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and bowed deeply to Lee Joo-young. Closing the door, he left the CEO's office. Lee Joo-young, from surprise to a light laugh, stood there in a daze.

For so many years, he hadn't taken on a single student, including his youngest daughter, Lee Soon-gyu. On his fifty-fourth birthday, he took on one. What the future holds... he looked forward to it.