Chapter 54

There really was no reason. Even though Moon Jung-woo asked in a seemingly serious manner whether the selection process placed importance on appearance, he had no intention of going at all. He even had a slight aversion and resistance. Humans are social animals, but not all animals live together. They have their own groups and territories.

Different groups are naturally antagonistic, and there is no reason for this. Moon Jung-woo knew only how to write the name "S.M." but had never been to the company. He had never met the uncle that Lee Sun-kyu often talked about or the younger brother that Lee Soo-young often mentioned. However, for some inexplicable reason, he didn't like them very much. Of course, it wasn't that serious. Ultimately, it was due to the inherent antagonism between groups. Influenced by Lee Soo-young, who wanted to break away from S.M. as the parent company, Moon Jung-woo couldn't help but think of his own experiences.

Now, being in SW and as a member of SW, especially with similar experiences, he couldn't help but see S.M. as something to resist and break free from, even though they hadn't exerted any pressure. Lee Soo-young understood this psychology to some extent. It wasn't because of himself or SW. How much could Moon Jung-woo, with his identity, understand about the entertainment industry, especially with so much information being withheld from him at home? Why did he resist and dislike S.M.? Wasn't it because of his teacher, Lee Soo-young?

He regretted it and warned himself to talk less about S.M. in front of him, whether good or bad. He wasn't an ordinary trainee. Ignoring the influence of his family, he was now the one who had to carry the company with SUGER, and he was the true pillar, just like Rain in JYP.

If he kept subtly instilling a sense of aversion towards S.M., it wouldn't be good for his personal development. After all, S.M. was still the true parent company of SW. The desire to break away was precisely because they hadn't broken away. This resistance was ultimately not good. Moreover, it was an unnecessary conflict. On one side was his student, and on the other was his own younger brother. Why let a few unintentional complaints lead to resistance? If this resistance gradually turned into a real conflict, what was the point?

Moon Jung-woo had no contact with S.M., and S.M. had no contact with Moon Jung-woo. He should talk less about these things in the future, and Moon Jung-woo would gradually forget and stop thinking about it. As for being the pillar, comparing him to Rain in JYP wasn't that far-fetched. What did Rain have? He wasn't as handsome as Moon Jung-woo, and singing and dancing could be practiced. He was still growing, and his piano skills, English, and personal talents were outstanding. He could even compose...

Lee Soo-young was inwardly criticizing and feeling a bit jealous. Thinking of composition, he patted his head and glared at Moon Jung-woo, "Talk about composition! Where did you get sidetracked?"

Moon Jung-woo laughed, "Teacher, I've been waiting for you to say it. You were the one spacing out, thinking about something, and now you're blaming me?"

Lee Soo-young waved his hand impatiently, "Explain your understanding of composition and the market."

Moon Jung-woo sighed, "I'll write a paper for you. As your teacher, whatever you guide me, I'll listen."

Lee Soo-young couldn't help but laugh, sighed, and leaned back in his chair, "This attitude is not good. You're stubborn and either refuse to acknowledge or completely ignore things. You need to change this."

Moon Jung-woo nodded perfunctorily, "Okay, I'll change... Teacher, talk about the market."

Lee Soo-young shook his head, glared at Moon Jung-woo, and then resumed his serious expression, "Composition, especially in the entertainment industry, ultimately aims for profit. Even if you want to become famous, it's reflected through profit. No matter how excellent a composer is, their level is determined by how popular the songs they write are. How is this determined? By excluding the singer's own appeal and calculating how much the album sales increase because of your songs. The goal is commercial profit, so your work must consider the market. Before you create, you should think about who will buy the song after it's released, what age group, what kind of fans, and what level of consumption."

Seeing that Moon Jung-woo was listening attentively, Lee Soo-young continued, "Inspiration isn't the only thing that can make you write a song. There are many factors you can consider. And inspiration isn't absolute. Every time you create a song, it carries some of your own inspiration, just to varying degrees. The highest level is when your inspiration perfectly aligns with the market and the singer's style, voice, and image. This alignment is the standard for the success and excellence of your work."

He let Moon Jung-woo digest this for a while before smiling and asking, "Do you understand?"

Moon Jung-woo pursed his lips, frowned in thought, and finally nodded, "I understand. But I'm not sure if I can do it."

Lee Soo-young waved his hand, "That's normal. Do you think composition is that easy? That inspiration alone can do everything? An excellent creator can make their work achieve its purpose. Let me give you a simple example."

Lee Soo-young cleared his throat and gestured, "You know archery, right? The long-range weapon used in ancient battles."

Moon Jung-woo laughed, "Teacher."

Lee Soo-young chuckled, then stopped and looked at Moon Jung-woo seriously, "If you're well-trained, like in Olympic shooting, the target is stationary, and you can hit it every time. But if the target is moving, can you still hit it as accurately?"

Moon Jung-woo was taken aback and shook his head slightly, "No... What are you trying to say?"

Lee Soo-young explained, "In battle, enemies are always moving. Some are even on horseback. When you shoot, you have to consider their changing positions. This is more difficult because enemies won't stand still for you to shoot."

Moon Jung-woo's eyes lit up, "You mean the entertainment industry is like a battlefield."

Lee Soo-young nodded, his face beaming, "Exactly. Keep going, if you understand it, it's even better."

Moon Jung-woo organized his thoughts and looked at Lee Soo-young, "The entertainment industry is like a battlefield. Your composition isn't just about inspiration; it's mostly about creating based on various requirements."

Lee Soo-young clapped, "That's right. Be specific, what kind of work requires you to create based on their requirements?"

Moon Jung-woo thought for a moment and smiled, as he had understood Lee Soo-young's point, "For example, creating OSTs for TV dramas. If you're invited to write a song, you have to create based on the plot and atmosphere of the drama. If you're not invited, you have to cater to their work because there are other creators, and the production team will choose the most suitable one. If you're writing songs for a singer's album, you have to consider their image and fans' preferences, as well as their own style. You need to create songs that allow them to showcase themselves perfectly."

Lee Soo-young laughed heartily, "Good, very good. You catch on quickly."

He stood up and sat next to Moon Jung-woo, "Putting aside creating for others, first solve the problem of writing songs for yourself. What kind of songs are suitable for you to perform? Your voice, your image, what kind of songs are the best fit? Also, your fans are your life, the life of all artists. The number of fans determines your longevity. If one day no one pays attention to you or likes you, it means your career is over. Conversely, if more and more people like and pay attention to you, you will become more successful. How can you make them like you, and what image is the best to present to them? Your work is the platform and carrier that amplifies your charm and attracts more people to like you... it can also be called wings, allowing you to fly more steadily, higher, and farther."

Moon Jung-woo subconsciously leaned back, squinting and smiling at Lee Soo-young, "With what you said, I can't help but feel excited."

Lee Soo-young's voice faltered, feeling like a bone was stuck in his throat. Especially seeing Moon Jung-woo's cute smile, he felt quite helpless. After a while, Lee Soo-young pulled Moon Jung-woo up, opened the door, and pushed him out, "If you understand, get lost! Go to school this afternoon!"

Moon Jung-woo looked surprised, wanting to say something, but the door was already closed. He touched his nose and smiled, then turned and left. However, seeing Lee Sun-kyu waiting, Moon Jung-woo felt a bit strange. Unconsciously, the two had been inseparable... for more than half a year, right? Time really flies.

(Thank you to sooyeon.xi for the support, very much appreciated. zzang. O(∩_∩)O)

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{Piaotian Literature}