Chapter 126
Today was MG Entertainment’s monthly director’s meeting . All the directors had gathered .
Many things that were piled up until now due to the season being the end of the year, was quickly processed . The meeting was dragged out with the infighting between the directors accusing others of wasting budget or using too little budget .
One topic was about Eddios .
“Eddios’s extension of contract date had already gone past . ”
Director Jung HyunTae emotionlessly spoke while looking at the papers . This clearly seemed less important than other topics in this meeting . The other directors didn’t say much as this wasn’t their problem .
Director Kim JinHo spoke .
“There’s no extension . Didn’t we already put forth the opinion that we’ll use that budget somewhere else?”
“Yes, we did . Were those girls debuting next summer?”
Director Jung HyunTae flipped over the page . There, it was written about the new girl group project . He kept reading on .
“Debut in the Summer of 2012, huh, with five girls . I feel good about it . Are things going well?”
Director Moon Gw.a.n.gShik, who was in charge of the new girl group, smiled as though everything was going well .
“Naturally . I will hand in a formal report in the New Year’s meeting . ”
“Hahaha . ”
‘Eddios is not even getting mentioned anymore . ’
Since the contract was over, they’re just forgetting about it? This was unthinkable if it was the previous MG . It wasn’t that extending a contract was an easy thing to do . Even if a musician decides to break the contract and leave due to other matters, MG Entertainment would usually send one off on a good note, not in the worst possible way like they were doing now . They didn’t even seem to consider the opinions the artists would have when they leave MG .
These were director Lee HanSeo’s thoughts, and director Moon Gw.a.n.gShik brought up another topic .
“By the way, Min JinSeo’s achievements in China this year were amazing, to say the least . An oriental drama she decided to appear in became a big hit . Sending her to China was a G.o.dly move . ”
“Hahaha . It’s the achievement of everyone here . ”
Director Lee YoungChang spoke with a laugh .
As they were talking about Min JinSeo, the atmosphere lightened up a little . Min JinSeo was directly supervised by chairman Won JinMoon himself . Now that he had fallen ill, although the principle was for his deputy, that was, his son, to manage her, practical power was within the directors’ hands . Of course, not that Min JinSeo was easy prey for the directors .
“Looks like she’ll stay in China for the foreseeable future . ”
“Indeed . ”
“It’s obvious that she would set her mind somewhere else if she returns to Korea . It’ll be better for her to stay there . ”
This was the general opinion of the directors . The Chinese market was definitely large . It was an opportunity to earn money, and there were no elements of danger either, so it was killing two birds with one stone .
(T/N: China? Not dangerous? Hmm…)
‘Don’t they see that the girl is getting exhausted?’
Director Lee HanSeo shook his head while looking at the other directors .
***
Lee HyunJi was the second busiest person in World Entertainment after KangYoon .
Ever since KangYoon had gotten a verbal contract agreement with Eddios, her workload had tripled . She had to set the contract deposit, allocate budget for Lunas’s modification, Kim JaeHoon’s activities as well as Kim JiMin’s lesson fees .
She worked overtime every single day .
“Director, aren’t you… going home?’
It was 9 p . m .
Jung HyeJin cautiously asked while looking at the ever-increasing mountain of papers . However, Lee HyunJi replied with baggy eyes .
“…You can go home first . ”
“*Sob* . President is such a bad guy . ”
“The end-of-year financial doc.u.ment is hard isn’t it?”
“Yes… . . ”
Jung HyeJin was also bombarded with work due to the season being the end of the year . She grumbled that although money was piling in her bank account, she had no time to spend them . Hearing that, Lee HyunJi laughed .
“You’ll become rich!”
“I don’t want to become rich like this!”
Jung HyeJin screamed in happiness(?) in the haven(?) of work . (E/N: sarcasm)
Meanwhile, KangYoon was talking with Kim JaeHoon, White Moonlight, and Kim JiMin .
“A Christmas performance?”
This was the one single event where they could rake in the most money throughout the year . Kim JaeHoon tilted his head as he thought that his schedule would be jammed full, but turned out that the night of the 24th was completely empty .
KangYoon explained .
“I didn’t put anything there because I want to hold a concert in Lunas . The theme of the concert is a singles party, I guess?”
“A singles party?”
Lee HyunAh blinked several times . The members of White Moonlight grabbed their chests in pain .
“Urgh, the president is stabbing where it hurts . ”
“Urgh… . ”
Jung ChanGyu also silently cried at Kim JinDae’s words . Meanwhile, Lee ChaHee didn’t seem that flinched . Lee HyunAh asked in surprise .
“ChaHee, you have a boyfriend?”
“I do have someone I’m getting along with very well recently . ”
“Whaaat?”
Seeing her being so cool about it, everyone, including Lee HyunAh was surprised . However, Lee ChaHee was nonchalant about it .
“He’s a public servant, and although he doesn’t have a good sense of humor, he’s a kind guy . ”
Lee HyunAh showed deep interest . Lee ChaHee also talked about this ‘guy’ she got along well with . When KangYoon saw that they were straying off the topic, he clapped his hands . Only then did they get back to the matter at hand .
“There, there . Anyway . Other places usually hold parties for couples only right? The singles don’t have anywhere to go . So we’ll do it the other way . A concert for singles . An Invinsingles party, so to speak?”
“Sir, I think you’ll have to change the name at least . ”
Kim JiMin’s words made everyone laugh . KangYoon shrugged his shoulders in awkwardness . That word sounded cringy, to say the least .
“Yeah, let’s change that . Anyway, JaeHoon and White Moonlight shouldn’t have anything scheduled, and I’ve emptied that slot out for Lunas that day . The time is 7 p . m . Christmas Eve, and the cast is…”
“World family?”
Lee HyunAh asked and KangYoon nodded .
“Yes . And also…”
At that time, the door to the studio opened and a man walked in . He was sufficiently tall and had a skinny body, a figure that any woman would like .
KangYoon waved his hand at him .
“Hi, come and sit, JunYeol . ”
“Yo, bruv . ”
It was from Lee JunYeol . He gave KangYoon a bro hug before sitting down next to him . Everyone was shocked by the sudden appearance of a famous singer .
“Ah, h.e.l.lo . ”
The women’s heart shook . They were shaken by Lee JunYeol’s manly appearance . The men also seemed wary of his good looks .
KangYoon introduced Lee JunYeol to everyone . Everyone here knew who Sedy was .
“Hi, people! Lee JunYeol here . ”
Everyone applauded when he introduced himself . The claps from the ladies were especially loud .
“Wow . I never knew I’d get to see Sedy here . ”
Lee HyunAh spoke honestly . Lee JunYeol smiled .
“Fufu, I’ll go anywhere my bro asks me to . ”
“Really?”
Lee HyunAh’s evaluation of KangYoon had just gone up by a level .
Now that he was here, KangYoon kept on speaking .
“You know the general gist, right?”
“Oh, a party for singles? Are you really fine with me? I don’t know how singles feel like . ”
Kim JaeHoon lightly frowned at that . However, KangYoon spoke instead .
“It’s fine . I’ve prepared you a partner on stage . You two can sing together on stage . ”
“A partner? Who is it? Oh, is it the one I talked to you about last time?”
He was referring to the featuring matter . KangYoon nodded his head .
“That included . Anyway, do meet her . I think your voice fits very well with hers . She’ll be here soon . ”
Having finished his part, KangYoon turned around to something else .
“For this party, the order is important . First will be White Moonlight, second up is JaeHoon, and 3rd is JunYeol . ”
“Okay . How do we choose the songs then?”
KangYoon gave them the order of events when Lee HyunAh asked that question . Each team had a story . White Moonlight would set the mood, Kim JaeHoon would melt the hearts of everyone present, and finally, Lee JunYeol and his partner would give the audience warmth . This was the general outline .
“A duet after going solo all this while . Okay . This looks like homework to me . When is my partner comi… . ?”
When Lee JunYeol was wondering about his part, a lady with straight, long hair entered the studio . She was wearing jeans and a jumper . Everyone was surprised to see her here .
“JooYeon?”
“It’s JooYeon!”
The biggest voice was from Kim JinDae and Jung ChanGyu . This was a member of Eddios they were seeing . KangYoon had not yet told everyone that Eddios had joined the house . Lee HyunAh and Lee ChaHee were shocked as well, and Kim JiMin also gulped in nervousness when she saw a top-tier musician .
Even Kim JaeHoon’s eyes were trembling, while Lee JunYeol turned around to KangYoon with amazement in his eyes .
“Bro, you’re telling me… . ”
“Everyone should know who she is, right? I guess I don’t need to do the introductions . JooYeon, come and greet everyone . ”
Han JooYeon stood next to KangYoon with an embarra.s.sed expression .
“h.e.l.lo? I’m Han JooYeon . Please take care of me . ”
“Whooooo! Good to have you here!”
The men, especially Kim JinDae, cheered out loud . Her puppy-like facial features instantly charmed him . Lee ChaHee clicked her tongue .
“JooYeon, you arrived yesterday, right?”
“Yes, I’m still feeling the jetlag… . I think I’ll need some time . ”
Although his intentions were not to call her here, Han JooYeon said that she would come herself . After KangYoon left America, she had resumed practice again . The fact that Jung MinAh could debut solo came as a big shock to her . That motivated her to come to this place .
Lee JunYeol never imagined that his partner was Han JooYeon . He was very well aware that Han JooYeon’s singing was top notch amongst idols . Moreover, this was KangYoon’s recommendation . He wasn’t worried at all .
“You’re recommending me her, right?”
“Yeah, trust me this once . Her tone will fit nicely with yours . ”
“It’s you, so you’re probably right . ”
Lee JunYeol accepted without much fuss .
Since Han JooYeon was here, KangYoon gave the two their scores . It was a duet song .
“Huh? Isn’t this a song from 3 years ago? Love day?”
Han JooYeon also had a look at the score .
“Do we need to record it as well?”
“Nah, we aren’t doing an alb.u.m, so no need for a recording . ”
“So do we just get on with the practice by ourselves?”
KangYoon thought for a moment when Lee JunYeol said that .
“Are you alright with that?”
“We aren’t kids . Miss JooYeon, are you alright with it?”
Han JooYeon also thought about it for a moment before nodding .
“Yes . ”
KangYoon accepted after seeing Han JooYeon’s opinion .
After that KangYoon gave the other teams their songs . However, the duo still tugged on his mind endlessly .
‘Won’t they get in trouble since they’re both quite selfish?’
KangYoon was worried that he just considered their voices and not personalities when he chose the two .
***
[Eddios’s new home at World Entertainment . ]
The idol girl group Eddios has entered an exclusive contract with World Entertainment (CEO: Lee KangYoon) .
On the 4th, according to World Entertainment, Eddios’s contract with their previous company had ended and they have since entered a new contract with World Entertainment .
World Entertainment has claimed that Eddios still has charms that they hadn’t shown off yet, and that they were very professional enough for Korea . They showed confidence that they had hidden, charming traits that everyone hadn’t seen yet and would like to show more of it in the future .
However, they did not mention when they would host a comeback stage . They did say, however, that the girls would be coming back from America . They did not mention what the girls will do in the future .
World Entertainment is a small company that has the male singer Kim JaeHoon in their a.r.s.enal and has the knowhow to bring back someone to the industry after 4 years of absence . Whether that knowhow works on Eddios or not, remains to be seen .
Starmate .
Journalist Lee YeonCham .
[email protected] . com
***
“Eddios has returned to their rightful place . ”
President Choo ManJi groaned while looking at the internet article . He closed the browser before calling for his secretary . The secretary lady put down a cup of coffee carefully on his desk .
“Secretary Yoon . ”
“Yes, sir . ”
The secretary was about to leave when he called out to her .
“Why did Lee KangYoon get Eddios?”
“……”
The secretary did not speak . She knew that this question wasn’t aimed at her . Soon, president Choo ManJi answered his own question .
“No matter how I think about it, it’ll be difficult for Eddios to get any revenue in Korea . They might just barely be able to break even, I guess? Maybe if they push their limits and go to China, it would work, but going to China requires more foundation in China . Although they say it’s the Korean Wave and whatnot . It won’t be easy to succeed overseas when they have practically no foundation in Korea left . Then why, did that Lee KangYoon, choose to contract Eddios?”
“……”
President Choo ManJi stood up, while the secretary lady stood still . Then, he started circling around her .
“I simply cannot understand him . He’s not dumb enough to rely on emotions . If that was the case, he wouldn’t have given us a song in the first place . The world is so mysterious sometimes . ”
President Choo ManJi frowned .
Even if they do perform badly, it wasn’t much of a concern to him .
However, something was tugging at his heartstrings .
Like that, the secretary had to listen to the president’s monologue for an entire hour .
***
(T/N: Secretaries… have a hard time . Imagine your boss walking in circles around you like he’s doing a ritual, mumbling about his rival… . )