Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: The Regular Army of Soy Sauce

"Little boy, do you want to become a trainee?" At this moment, Lee Soo-man seemed a bit like a creepy uncle luring children, holding a piece of candy to entice Lee Yunjae.

Lee Yunjae frowned and said, "Is being a trainee fun? I'm not very interested in becoming a star!"

"Look at them, they all came here to debut as stars. This is where their dreams take off. In the future, they will stand on the stage, singing and dancing, touching countless people with their voices, and receiving countless applause. You have never stood on a stage, but if you had that experience, you would be eager to become a star. Being a star means being the focus of everyone's attention, with many fans supporting and cheering for you wherever you go. You will be the brightest one! Many older kids have star dreams, but few can become our company's trainees. Those who join our company are the elites of the elites.

Once you become our company's trainee, we will train you, teach you singing and dancing, teach you songwriting and composing your own songs, teach you piano and guitar, and even teach you acting..."

Lee Soo-man almost dried his mouth talking about the benefits of being a trainee. Lee Yunjae remained silent, while Park So-yeon beside him was a bit anxious, her features twisted. If it were her, she would have agreed to Lee Soo-man right away.

Park Sang-hae did not stop Lee Soo-man or interfere with Lee Yunjae. He wanted Lee Yunjae to make his own decision. After all, Lee Yunjae was not Park So-yeon, and he was not his son. He could not interfere with the path Lee Yunjae would take in the future, as long as Lee Yunjae did not go astray, he would not intervene. If Lee Yunjae really became a trainee, he also hoped that Lee Yunjae would debut and become a superstar. At that time, if Han Won-jung knew that her son had become a superstar, she would surely have a surprised expression. Thinking of this, Park Sang-hae felt a sense of satisfaction, and he was very angry with Han Won-jung's actions, eager to see her surprised face.

Just as Lee Yunjae was silent, Yoo Young-jin, who could not wait any longer, said, "Child, do you like singing?!"

Yoo Young-jin had a good impression of Lee Yunjae, so he had noticed him from the beginning. Then, Lee Yunjae showed his superior piano skills and a good voice among his peers, which made Yoo Young-jin like him even more and want to train him as a trainee who might have a great future.

Do I like singing? Lee Yunjae asked himself, then nodded silently. He did indeed like singing, although not to the point of obsession, but the feeling when singing was indeed very good.

"To be honest, I see a kind of spiritual quality in you. Few people can give me this feeling. There are many trainees in the company now, but I have only seen a handful with this quality, and five of them have already debuted. Their group is called HOT, and three more are about to debut. These people are selected from thousands, and those who stand out have the potential to become superstars. You have talent and should not be hidden or buried."

Lee Yunjae did not expect Yoo Young-jin to speak so seriously and value him so much, making him feel a bit dizzy. Any ten-year-old child, hearing such affirmation from an adult, especially an adult with some influence, would feel a bit dizzy, after all, he was just a ten-year-old child.

"Yunjae... speak up, quickly agree... in the future, if my brother becomes a star, how impressive that would be! Hurry up, don't just stand there!" Park So-yeon walked behind Lee Yunjae and whispered in his ear.

BoA stood to the side, her eyes fixed on Lee Yunjae. From her eyes, it was clear that she wanted Lee Yunjae to agree to Yoo Young-jin. This opportunity was something many people could not get, but now it was right in front of Lee Yunjae, a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Moreover, with Lee Yunjae in S.M. Company, she would not be lonely, and they could keep each other company.

Lee Yunjae looked at Park Sang-hae, then at Choi Ji-ya. The latter two were smiling, and although they did not speak, their gentle smiles indicated that they would respect Lee Yunjae's decision.

Then, Lee Yunjae turned to look at BoA, who was also staring at him with an indescribable look in her eyes. He could see that BoA also wanted him to agree.

Finally, Lee Yunjae took a deep breath, lowered his head, and then slowly looked up at Yoo Young-jin. He never thought that a talent show that had nothing to do with him would have such a significant impact on him, and he never thought that his next decision would lead him down a different path. The hardships on this path would be more, deeper, and more severe than others.

"Alright, I'll be a trainee, but I want you to teach me... you seem pretty capable!" Lee Yunjae said hesitantly.

Yoo Young-jin, Lee Soo-man, and Kim Sung-soo all laughed, laughing uncontrollably. They were the ones who usually set conditions for trainees, and it was rare for a trainee to set conditions for them. Yoo Young-jin touched his cheek and said, "You have a good eye... alright, since you are the one I chose, from now on, you will learn music from me!"

Park Sang-hae and Choi Ji-ya seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Seeing that Lee Yunjae had made his decision, they felt that as long as the child was happy, it was fine.

BoA's face lit up with a happy smile, her eyes curved, and a pair of dimples appeared on her face, making her look incredibly cute.

Park So-yeon grinned, and if you looked closely, you could see her trembling slightly. It was not sadness but excitement. Although she was not selected as a trainee today, she still had time to work hard. Originally, she wanted to become a trainee not only to become a big star but also to get close to her idol. Now, with BoA and Lee Yunjae, especially Lee Yunjae joining S.M. Company, she would have a way to get her idol's autograph. Thinking of this, she could not help but smile happily.

"Ah-cheng, you are responsible for those trainees, discuss some specific matters with them. BoA, Yunjae, you two and the parents come upstairs with me to talk!" Lee Soo-man stood up with the documents and led the group to his office, with Yoo Young-jin following behind.

When they arrived at Lee Soo-man's office, the small room was almost filled with people.

"Sit wherever you like..." Lee Soo-man sat in his chair and said to Mrs. Kwon, Park Sang-hae, and Choi Ji-ya, "I called you up mainly to discuss some matters regarding BoA and Yunjae becoming trainees.

BoA is a contestant from this talent show, and she fits the image of a trainee I had in mind. Therefore, she will receive focused training from the company. In the future, she will spend a lot of time practicing, and if her progress is ideal, we will arrange for her to debut in early 2001.

In the next few years, a lot of schoolwork will be missed, so I suggest that BoA temporarily drop out of school and live in the apartment the company has rented for trainees, focusing her main efforts on training. Of course, we will hire professional teachers to teach her subjects like math, physics, and chemistry, striving to balance both. The company will ensure she gets her high school diploma, and whether she can go to college will depend on her own efforts!"

BoA turned to look at her mother, who was also conflicted, but seeing BoA's determination, she reluctantly said, "If your studies don't fall behind, I can agree to this condition!"

"Okay... that's settled for BoA. Now let's talk about Yunjae.

Currently, the company will focus on training BoA, so you will temporarily learn music from Teacher Yoo Young-jin. Yunjae is still young, so there's no rush to train him intensively, and he cannot handle the heavy training load. We can take it step by step. Crafting a masterpiece takes time, and I believe that under Yoo Young-jin's guidance, Yunjae will make significant progress in singing, songwriting, and composing over the next five to six years. As long as Yunjae works hard, he might even be stronger than BoA. By then, we can consider Yunjae's debut.

These are my temporary thoughts and plans. I originally only wanted to recruit one child who fit the image of a trainee, but I didn't expect to find Yunjae, which was a pleasant surprise!

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to speak up now!"

Lee Yunjae blinked and said, "Do I need to live in Seoul? What about my studies?"

"Regarding this... it's up to you. If you don't mind the fatigue, you can attend classes during the day and come to the company for training in the evening, then go back home... or you can transfer to a nearby elementary school, and the company will arrange your accommodation!" Lee Soo-man said gently.

"No, no!" Park Sang-hae shook his head vigorously and said, "It takes about two hours by train from Anyang to Seoul, and it's at night, which is too dangerous!"

"Um... that is indeed a problem. Let's transfer you to a nearby school... this will also facilitate training and not affect your studies. Attend school during the day and receive training in the evening, which will save a lot of time!" Lee Soo-man thought for a moment and said, "We will also arrange for him to live with older trainees, which will help them take care of Yunjae's daily life!"

Choi Ji-ya nodded and said, "Yes, that's a good idea... it will save four hours of travel time!"

"Alright, let's settle it this way! During the training period, our company will provide a monthly living allowance of 100,000 won (about 500 yuan in that era) and sign this trainee contract!" As he spoke, Lee Soo-man took out two contracts from the drawer and handed them to Yoo Young-jin, who then passed them to Mrs. Kwon and Park Sang-hae.

"These two trainee contracts are the same as those for all our company's trainees, mainly ensuring the company's rights and the trainees' self-discipline!"

Park Sang-hae, Choi Ji-ya, and Mrs. Kwon carefully read the contracts and, finding no issues, signed them as guardians.

With the two copies of the contract, Lee Soo-man kept one for the archives and said, "Alright, from now on, you two are official trainees of our company. The company has many rules, but you must follow three main ones.

First, trainees are allowed to compete in skills, but not in violence, and fighting is strictly prohibited.

Second, romantic relationships are not allowed. Male and female trainees must maintain a distance.

Third, forming cliques and excluding foreign trainees is strictly prohibited."

Hearing this, Lee Yunjae shrugged, indicating no objections, but thought to himself: As long as others don't bully me, I won't be a pushover.

BoA's face showed excitement, and she nodded vigorously.

"Alright, that's settled. It's getting late, so go home and prepare. Pack your things. I'll arrange your accommodation tonight, and you can move in tomorrow. Also, since it's summer break, we'll transfer your school records to a nearby elementary school in Gangnam when school starts, and I'll arrange the school for you!" Lee Soo-man thought for a moment, ensuring he had not missed anything, and then let Lee Yunjae, BoA, and the others go home to pack their things.

After everyone left, the office seemed much more spacious. Lee Soo-man sat back with his legs crossed, feeling satisfied, and Yoo Young-jin sat comfortably on the sofa, saying, "Old Li, today's harvest was really great! BoA and Yunjae, it was worth the effort!"

"Ha ha..." Lee Soo-man grinned, "Yes... both are very promising kids... they might become the two pillars of our S.M. Company in the future!"

"Actually, I think Yunjae's talent is a bit stronger than BoA's. Why do you insist on focusing on BoA?" Yoo Young-jin asked, puzzled.

"This time, I was looking for a very talented and spiritual girl to focus on training and send abroad to develop the overseas market. Currently, entering the overseas market is more convenient for girls. With BoA's qualifications, she can debut after two to three years of training. By then, she will be 16, the perfect age for debut.

Yunjae, although very talented, is unfortunately too young. Even if he trains for three years, works hard, and you teach him diligently, even if he meets the debut requirements, he will only be 13, which is too young!

You said he is a piece of unpolished jade, so I'll leave him to you to carefully polish. Train him for six to seven years, teach him singing, dancing, songwriting, composing, instruments, and even acting. Spend six to seven years to cultivate him into a versatile artist, and then find a good opportunity for him to debut, aiming for overnight fame!"

Yoo Young-jin laughed and shook his head, saying, "You think so far ahead... it will take at least ten years... Yunjae might become the trainee with the longest training period in history!"

"Isn't that for his own good? Learning more is always beneficial, and this is also a form of focused training!" Lee Soo-man chuckled, not denying it.

Yoo Young-jin did not object. This plan was a challenge and an opportunity for Lee Yunjae. If successful, he could become the brightest star in the Korean entertainment industry in ten years. Of course, there were significant risks, but for people like Yoo Young-jin and Lee Soo-man, risks and opportunities coexist. The greater the risk, the greater the reward if successful.

Moreover, as long as they teach him steadily without rushing, and as long as Lee Yunjae works hard and diligently, his future achievements will be limitless.

"By the way, where do you plan to arrange for these two to live?" Yoo Young-jin asked.

"BoA is a bit special, practicing during the day and studying at night, so I decided to rent a one-bedroom apartment for her.

As for Yunjae, he doesn't have this concern, so I'll arrange for him to live in the Gangnam neighborhood, closest to the company, with Lee Min-woo and the other five. They are about to debut next year, and living with them will be beneficial for Yunjae." Lee Soo-man thought for a moment and said.

Yoo Young-jin nodded after thinking for a moment, fully agreeing with Lee Soo-man's decision. It was a good idea to have Lee Yunjae live with the five trainees who were about to debut. They were the most capable trainees in the company after HOT, and their current skills were enough to teach Lee Yunjae singing and dancing. Lee Yunjae could learn a lot from them.

"The day has passed so quickly... let's call it a day. You've been working hard all day, go home and rest!" Lee Soo-man stood up, tidied up his things, and Yoo Young-jin left the office.

At the same time... in Mapo-gu, Hapjeong-dong, Seoul, 397-5.

This was the location of a very unremarkable talent agency that had been established for less than a year, named YG. Many people might not know what YG was, but if they mentioned the name of the CEO who founded the company, everyone in Korea would know him. He was Yang Hyun-suk, one of the members of Seo Taiji and Boys.

At this moment, in the CEO's office of YG Company, Yang Hyun-suk was intently watching the TV screen. Today was the second day of S.M. Company's talent show, and with the significant buzz S.M. Company had created, it had become a focus for many talent agencies, including YG. The TV was currently showing the videos taken by S.M. Company's staff during the final rounds of interviews. How Yang Hyun-suk obtained these videos was unknown, but every company had a few people who profited from secretly selling internal information.

"S.M. has gained two more talents!" After watching the entire talent show, Yang Hyun-suk could not help but sigh. At this moment, similar sighs were heard from the CEOs of other talent agencies.