Chapter 41: The Idol's Technique That Never Fails

Behind the scenes of the 'Sunny Day' performance video, a short behind-the-scenes segment followed. The stories of the umbrella and Super Power led into the songwriting process of Jung Hae Won.

- I told Hae Won to write down his honest feelings from the stage.

Min Ji Ho took credit, and Shin Ji Woon responded.

- No, how did you learn from Min Ji Ho? I'm really going to milk this for the rest of my life.

- You bet!

At Min Ji Ho's shout, the members chuckled, and Hwang Saebek spoke up.

- You know, when Hae Won joined and did his first performance, he came off the stage and cried.

- Hey!

Despite Hae Won's outburst, a behind-the-scenes video of him crying on the stairs after coming off the stage played. Over it, Hwang Saebek's voice continued.

- He really loves the stage. During the first recording of 'Turn on the Light,' the cheers he heard for his part were so good. That's why he loves the stage.

* * *

After the video was uploaded, I didn't have the courage to check the reactions, so I scheduled my day tightly. Today, a junior of Yang Yi, named Jang Seokhoon, was coming to record a chorus and guide for a song.

I was in the control room of the company, waiting for Jang Seokhoon, and sent a message to Min Ji Ho and Han Hyo Seok.

[Hyoseok, Minjo. Come to the control room around 3.]

[Hyoseok: Yes]

[Minjo: Just us two? Great!]

They're usually so disobedient, but surprisingly, they listen well.

After contacting them, I listened again to the public audio of Jang Seokhoon, who goes by the stage name 'Hey.' His voice was clean and crisp, a style I really like. I listened to it a few more times before Jang Seokhoon arrived and we started recording.

* * *

When Hey entered the control room, he glanced at Jung Hae Won.

'Wow, how can someone look like that?'

He looked completely different from the image I saw briefly when Kuk Sun Ah was there. I've met quite a few idols, but even without makeup, Hey was among the top three I've seen. However, his tired face and condition gave off a familiar vibe of a composer.

Jung Hae Won bowed slightly first.

"Hello, you're a junior of Yi Hyung, right?"

"Ah, yes."

"Hyung said he might be a bit late."

"Yes, I received the message."

Jung Hae Won handed him the headphones with both hands.

"I can't sing well, but I heard from other composers that giving a recording is completely different from just talking. Please listen even if it's a bit hard on the ears."

I decided to overlook the fact that he didn't give a demo, assuming it's because he's an idol and very security-conscious. Still, seeing him give a guide for the song he was going to guide, I thought he had the basics down and took the headphones.

His vocals weren't great, and he was very attentive to Hey's reaction to the song, probably because he knew it himself. His overly handsome face made it quite uncomfortable to watch.

"Sorry, but if you look too intently, it's a bit..."

He was more surprised than I expected and stepped back.

"Ah, sorry."

Then he pretended to start working.

However, his extremely organized nature was evident just from the way he organized the session on the screen. He was not just neat but had an obsession with organization.

'He's definitely a perfectionist.'

I remembered what Yang Yi said about him being very tired. I expected today's guide and chorus recording to be challenging.

At twenty, with a short composing career and even shorter directing experience, the conditions were not ideal.

'But the song is good... huh?'

The demo already had the chorus guide included. And Hey, with his long chorus experience, could tell.

'F*ck, he's a genius.'

Given his experience, he shouldn't have a proper understanding of the chorus, but the guide showed a level of accuracy comparable to a seasoned composer.

There was no other way to interpret it except as a natural musical sense.

When the song ended, Jung Hae Won turned around and said,

"That's just a rough draft I put together. If you have any additions or deletions, please let me know."

"It seems fine as it is. It's good."

"Really? That's a relief."

He smiled immediately at the compliment. Despite his first impression, he smiled easily.

Hey started with the chorus of the song tentatively titled 'I've Only Been Waiting for Morning.'

"Hyung, would it be better if you do the rap part chorus?"

"Here, it's better if the members do it. After all."

"Hmm... Just a moment."

He hummed it in his head for a moment and then said,

"Sorry, but just in case, can we record it? Follow, follow, a, follow, follow, a. Just this part."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Thank you."

The chorus, which I expected to take a long time, was finished surprisingly quickly. The guide was so accurate, and his understanding of the chorus was perfect.

Most importantly, being a composer, a job where sense is crucial, Jung Hae Won had an exceptionally good sense of the moment.

[The day with you is short, and the lonely night is long. I've only been waiting for morning to tell you.]

Shin Ji Woon's deep, rough voice was layered with the chorus.

After finishing the chorus recording quickly, we both felt drained and drank energy drinks and coffee before starting the guide for the last song. We got a bit closer, and Jung Hae Won started chatting about the songwriting process.

"I'm working on this in secret with the members. I'm thinking of it as a unit song for the members who get along the worst in our group..."

"What if they don't like it?"

"If they don't like it, the song is bad, so I'll have to give up."

Honestly, I was a bit moved by that answer. It was the response of someone who firmly believes in the passion and ears of his team members.

Hey checked the sheet music for the last song he had to guide. The title was Two Villains, about two villains.

[Ah- It's the victory of the villains. The Earth is destroyed. The hero has failed.]

Before the song started, a siren sound played, followed by an auto-tuned narration.

[How's it going, heroes? Was today tough?

I saw you protecting the Earth.

It must have been tough with one villain. We're two.

Even without one arm, you can swing the other. See? You're crazy. Being a hero must be tough too?

This is the villains' game.

No matter how innocent or well-behaved they seem, suspect them.

Even when the night ends, our world doesn't.

Two villains, one world, our victory.

The night is our time. The sun won't rise anymore.]

The intense electronic sounds and the continuous FX (special effects) made it feel like you were in the middle of a battle between heroes and villains.

While not completely losing the refreshing feel from today's chorus, this song added a diverse touch to the album.

When Hey finished the guide recording for this song, Yang Yi arrived.

"Hey, what's this? Already done?"

Surprised by how quickly it ended, Yang Yi looked at Hey.

"Hyung, this composer is a genius."

At that, Jung Hae Won laughed out loud. After a brief greeting, he resumed his work.

Thinking there was nothing to do, Hey went out with Yang Yi for a drink. He said to Yang Yi,

"Hyung, I was a bit worried coming here as an idol, but the work is really comfortable."

"Yeah, working with him is easy. He knows exactly what he wants. Once he gains more experience, it'll take even less time."

"No, he doesn't discriminate by genre."

"Yeah, he's good at everything. He's crazy, really."

"Hyung, he's really good."

"Damn, that's why I let the kid who sticks to my studio stay there. He treats it like his own home. I have to be careful when I enter."

"With his skills and looks, he can't fail."

"Seeing him all the time, I don't even think he's pretty anymore."

"Ah, but from the guide, it seemed like his vocal cords are quite weak. He doesn't have good control, right?"

"Yeah, his agency is small, so his vocal training was sloppy. His vocal cords are weak, but he doesn't have nodules or anything."

"I've seen a lot of people with weak vocal cords when I was a vocal trainer."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm a real expert at strengthening vocal cords."

"Come to the studio and give it a try. He won't be shy anyway."

"I'm the one who's shy."

"Shut up."

Yang Yi chuckled and headed to a nearby bar with Hey.

* * *

The recording was clean and quick, so there was some time left before Min Ji Ho and Han Hyo Seok arrived.

I was thinking about taking a nap or eating something when my phone rang again.

As always, Shin Ji Woon was sending me only the good comments, even though he knows I don't usually read them. He's really persistent.

I picked up my phone and opened the comment he sent.

[Failed, I have a presentation tomorrow, and my eyes are swollen.]

[So 'Sunny Day' is going to be on the next album? I'll make a lot of money...]

[This is the best gift I've ever received.]

[I get it! I'll be a Hae Sun forever!]

[Honestly, it's time to recognize Hae Sun. It's like a blessing.]

"Ah, thank goodness. The reactions are good."

I thought to myself and moved on to the next page, browsing the comments for a while.

[Thank you, Hae Won. I love you so much.]

I love you so much.

For some reason, the words "I love you" feel like Santa Claus to me.

Like something you only believe in before you know the truth.

That's why I don't understand myself.

"...It's like a lie."

I felt more anxious. I felt it would change soon, or rather, I knew it would change soon.

I turned off my phone and tried to calm my breathing, counting numbers in my head. I counted up in odd numbers, down in even numbers, and recited the multiplication table from 9x9 backward. It was a method I had developed.

I had been prescribed anti-anxiety medication, but I didn't want to take it because it made my head fuzzy and made me sleepy. It was too busy a time to slow down.

But today, I had no choice, so I took the medication. When I felt a bit better, Min Ji Ho and Han Hyo Seok arrived.

"Hyung, we're here!"

"Have you eaten?"

Seeing the members' faces, I couldn't help but smile.

I started explaining to the members.

"You were villains in the last drama, right? The inspiration for this song came from that, starting from the pre-release round..."

After explaining, I played the guide for Two Villains, and they both said almost simultaneously,

"We have to do this."

"We definitely have to."

"Why are you two suddenly on the same page?"

I could see they liked it from their expressions, so I chuckled and teased them. Min Ji Ho, excited, said,

"If we don't do this, we're idiots!"

"Hyung, did the A&R team divide the parts?"

"Yeah, if you want to do it."

"Yes! We definitely want to. Right?"

Min Ji Ho urged Han Hyo Seok, who reluctantly agreed.

"Sure."

"Hyung, Hyo Seok said yes!"

"Then, Hyo Seok, try singing a bit. We'll use a lot of auto-tune, so I'm not sure how your voice will fit."

Given his clean and precise voice, I wasn't sure if it would fit the song.

Han Hyo Seok picked up the