SCT-Novel Chapter 134: Launch (1)
Chapter 134: Launch (1)
CEO Ha Seo-hwan's conclusion, recited in a low and clear voice.“Then we’ll need to shoot music videos for all the songs.”
Though he looked weak, Manager Kim Ki-baek widened his eyes quite a bit in surprise.
"Shooting music videos for all the songs means-"
He reiterated what came to his mind.
“You’re giving permission for every track to be treated as a title track?”
“There’s no reason to make a music video for every track unless that’s the case.”
Perhaps it was an unexpected answer, and Manager Kim Ki-baek momentarily malfunctioned, then let out a faint smile.
“If we do that, um- it’ll require quite a large investment, CEO-nim.”
“I know.”
“Three songs means triple the cost, four songs means four times. Maybe even more.”
“......”
CEO Ha Seo-hwan, who had been tapping the armrest of the sofa with his index finger. He was silent for a few seconds, then opened his mouth.
“Lately, the words ‘desperation’ and ‘life or death’ keep swirling around in my head.”
“I see.”
“Maybe it hit hard because I got smacked by a younger kid.”
Manager Kim Ki-baek had a rough idea of who the CEO was talking about.
‘Is he talking about Rojun?’
CEO Ha Seo-hwan let out a small sigh and continued.
“I’m planning to go all in on ‘Vanguard', whether it’s money or the value of the name GN.”
“......”
“So go ahead. Do what you want. As long as it helps ‘Vanguard', anything.”
Feeling the sincerity from the weight of his gaze, Manager Kim Ki-baek suddenly became serious.
“To sum it up, instead of a single, a mini album. Whether it’s three songs or four, each track with a different concept, every track produced to the quality of a title track. In addition, every track to have a music video of equal quality.”
It sounded simple when spoken, but to make this a reality was quite complicated. Composition, recording, choreography, production, promotion, and so on. Since every song had to be handled at a title track level, not only did the entire company staff have to mobilize, but external personnel also had to be hired. It would require a huge number of people, to the point that jaws would drop.
That meant it was expensive. Right now, Manager Kim Ki-baek was essentially talking in tens of billions or more.
But CEO Ha Seo-hwan, as if it didn’t matter.
-Swish.
Called in the A&R team through his secretary, and gave the same instructions to the team leader-level employees who arrived. The A&R team was also quite surprised, but-
“Understood, CEO-nim. We’ll do our best.”
Their fighting spirit quickly ignited.
Afterward, CEO Ha Seo-hwan asked Manager Kim Ki-baek about ‘Vanguard’, that is, Rojun and the members.
“How are the kids? Any shortcomings?”
Manager Kim Ki-baek cleared his throat lightly and answered.
“Um- CEO-nim, you can speak comfortably.”
“This is comfortable for me right now.”
“Ah, okay.”
“So?”
“The members are adjusting well. Lately, they’re focusing on practicing for the congratulatory performance at the SBC Acting Awards.”
“What about Rojun?”
“...He’s exceptional.”
“Exceptional.”
“Yes.”
Manager Kim Ki-baek recalled Kang Rojun’s face.
“The ‘Vanguard’ kids are all very talented. But Rojun, he’s different. I think the market is too small to fit him within the idol category. I’ve watched idols for over a decade now...but he’s the first kid I can’t understand even while watching.”
Then Manager Kim Ki-baek gave a rough explanation of Rojun’s daily schedule. Additionally.
“There are more than a few things that are either amazing or shocking. Especially his visuals. Rojun’s daily routine is clearly hellish, but every time I see him, he looks even sharper. It feels like he’s getting more handsome by the day. Among the members, they joke that he’s like a vampire.”
He didn’t leave out Rojun’s face. After thinking briefly, Manager Kim Ki-baek spoke again.
“We might have to prepare for overseas advancement sooner than expected.”
A few days later, Friday the 18th.
The time was around 6 PM. The location was the SBS Prism Tower in Sangam-dong. A tall and wide building adorned with a large ‘SBC’ logo.
The area around that Prism Tower was, quite literally, in a state of saturation.
From the entrance stretched a long red carpet, with metal fences set up on both sides. Attached to the fences were rows of SBC logos and advertisement boards.
At a glance, it was the scene of an awards ceremony.
Already, the first-floor lobby of the SBS Prism Tower was filled with over a hundred staff members.
“#*%&*#()@!!!”
“@*$#(#%(*#!!”
Screams so loud they seemed to tear eardrums blended together, making it hard to understand a single word. On top of that, countless cameras were set up from the beginning of the red carpet to the hall, and the so-called photo zone had also been installed on a fairly large scale.
Bustling, noisy.
The most eye-catching sight was the hundreds of reporters crowded on both sides of the red carpet. No, it wasn't just reporters. Mixed in were reporters, field correspondents, cameramen, and more. All of them were shouting at the top of their lungs, trying to secure the best spot.
“Hey!! Don’t push! I said don’t push!!”
“What the hell! Don’t sneak in like that!”
“Who was it?! Who just hit me?!”
“Argh! Stop pushing! Are you all crazy?!”
“Hey!!! Which media outlet are you from?! That’s our spot!!”
“What do you mean your spot? You put your name on it or what??”
Because of the cold weather, everyone’s breath fogged up in the air. And yet, the crowd of hundreds wasn’t the end. Even more people surrounded them as spectators. Citizens or audience members holding smartphones in one hand. From above, it looked like the hundred or so reporters were surrounded by layers of audience members. Quite a few internet streamers with action cams or selfie sticks in hand could also be spotted.
It was utter chaos.
The reason for this crowd at the Sangam SBC Prism Tower red carpet was simple.
《Kicking off the year-end awards season, 'SBC Acting Awards' fires the first signal flare, starting at 8 PM, just 2 hours to go!》
Everyone had gathered to see this year’s SBC Acting Awards. More precisely.
“Ah- when are the actors arriving??”
“Yeah. Shouldn’t they be showing up soon? It’s freezing out here!”
To capture the dazzling actors on camera. Of course, PDs and writers would also be attending today, but the spotlight at award ceremonies generally falls on the celebrities. Moreover, tonight’s acting awards were filled with top stars.
The male actors were dressed up in suits or tuxedos, while the female actors flaunted themselves in dresses.
Since every year there’s a best and worst dresser selection, the actors also pay extra attention to their red carpet walk. Thanks to that, the public’s interest also explodes.
Soon, the hundred or so reporters lined up on both sides of the red carpet, rubbing their freezing hands together, started chatting.
“Reporter Kim, who’s your target today?”
“Who else? Rojun. What about you, Reporter Park?”
“I’m half and half. Choi Rina’s been doing well this year too.”
“Well, it is ‘Rental Lover’ after all-”
“Right. I mean, probably more than half the reporters here are thinking the same, aren’t they?”
Kang Rojun came up in conversation here and there.
“Rojun’s coming, right??”
“No way he stirs up this much buzz and then no-shows? GN wouldn’t be that crazy. He’s definitely coming.”
“Shows up as a writer at the year-end awards right after ‘Produce That 100!’ ends? He’s seriously an interesting guy.”
“Isn’t he a writer and actor? If he even wins an award today, it’d be a truly unprecedented record.”
“You think SBC will give it to him? I mean, considering the impact, it wouldn’t be surprising.”
“But the atmosphere of the acting awards has kind of stagnated, maybe they’ll just use him for buzz and then not give him anything.”
Right then.
-Screech.
A large van pulled up to the end of the red carpet. The first actor to walk the red carpet had arrived. Reporters who’d been chattering to endure the cold instantly.
-Pabababababak!
Started pressing their camera shutters even before the actor got out. With hundreds of flashes going off in the dim light, it was bright as day, and the crowd of spectators, outnumbering even the reporters, held their phones up high.
Then.
-Swoosh.
The first actor appeared. A male actor, and shouts erupted among the reporters.
“Whoa!! Min-woo ssi!! Min-woo ssi!”
“Min-woo ssi! Please look at the camera and give us a wave!!”
“Min-woo ssi!! Over here too!!”
The first male actor walked down the red carpet with a relaxed expression, waving his hand. He occasionally struck a pose for the reporters. Once his walk was over, he headed to the photo zone. After a brief interview, he proceeded to the hall where the ceremony would take place.
Soon, more actors arrived one after another.
“Hello!! Min-ah ssi!!! Please do a cheek heart!”
“This way too! Over here too!!”
A female actor in a shoulder-baring dress despite the winter chill, a male actor striding swiftly across the red carpet, a veteran actor walking slowly, chuckling softly.
-Pabababababak!
The flashes never stopped.
“Kyaaaaa!”
“Waaaaaah!!”
The screams of an enormous number of spectators heated up the red carpet of the Acting Awards.
More and more actors began to arrive.
Some came alone.
“Se-hee ssi! Se-hee ssi!!! You’re truly beautiful!! Please wave your hand!!”
“Hello-”
“How do you feel?!!”
Others walked the red carpet in pairs or trios.
About thirty minutes passed like that.
Just as the excitement among the hundred or so reporters reached its peak.
-Screech!!
A white van pulled up, and from it.
“Choi Rina! It’s Choi Rina!!”
Top actress Choi Rina stepped out. Dressed in a pinkish gown with long straight hair cascading down. The beauty mark next to her nose stood out more than usual today. With her appearance, the shouts and screams doubled in volume.
“Kyaaaa!! Unnie! I love you!! Unnie!!!”
With help from a bodyguard waiting in front of the car, Choi Rina stepped onto the red carpet. Smiling sweetly enough to melt everyone, she raised one hand and waved. Just then, a vehicle came to a stop behind the white van she had arrived in.
The hundred or so reporters, still in the midst of photographing Choi Rina, turned their heads.
“Who is it this time?!”
Even while clicking their shutters, they were already anticipating the next arrival. Soon, someone stepped out from the newly arrived van. It was a man. Quite tall and with a striking build.
The interesting thing was that the moment he appeared.
“He’s here! He’s here!!”
Reporters and spectators, easily numbering in the thousands, went into a frenzy.
“Rojun!! Kyaaa!! Rojun!!!”
“This is insane!! Rojun-Ah!!”
The one who had just stepped out of the vehicle was Kang Rojun, his black hair slicked neatly back, dressed in an all-black tuxedo, his face radiating more than any other actor.
All eyes snapped to him at once.
His presence had the power to completely shift the momentum. Many were overwhelmed by Rojun’s face.
“......Holy shit, what is that face.”
“There are top actors everywhere, but he’s going to crush all of them??”
“Wow- he’s incredible, truly incredible.”
“That visual... it’s just jaw-dropping.”
They took in the sight of him. Some reporters even forgot to press their shutters, mouths agape, and dozens of spectators let out nonstop gasps.
Regardless, the explosion of flashes was blinding.
Choi Rina, who had been waiting a short distance away, glanced back.
‘How is that face even real? Whew- my heart’s racing. For the male actors coming after Rojun... this must feel absolutely awful.’
But she was a professional.
‘Deep breaths! Choi Rina! Pull yourself together, this isn’t your first acting awards!’
She forced herself to stay composed.
“You look beautiful, sunbae-nim.”
“......Eh?”
Choi Rina’s composure shattered in just three seconds.
All Rojun had done was take a few long steps and say a single line beside her. Compliments like beautiful or pretty were things Choi Rina heard all the time, so why did it sound so seductive coming from Kang Rojun’s mouth? Momentarily short-circuited, Choi Rina accidentally smiled.
“Th-thank you. That tuxedo suits you really well too, Rojun.”
“Thank you, it feels a bit awkward.”
At the moment, Kang Rojun’s head was a mess. Actually? To be blunt, he felt like throwing up.
‘Why the hell are there so many reporters??!’
He had searched for photos and videos of award shows the past few days to do some mental preparation, but seeing it in person was on another level. The violent bursts of camera flashes in front of his eyes, the audience’s nearly crazed screaming.
‘If I stay here too long, I’m seriously going to lose it.’
Though he’d had some experience with concerts and the like, first times were never easy. At the same time, the adrenaline was pumping. His heart thumped not only from nerves but also from exhilaration.
The red carpet laid out in front of him, the surrounding flashes bursting like stars.
Was this the path that stars always walked?
Kang Rojun wasn’t calm, but he wasn’t flustered either.
No experience? Then crush the nerves with sheer audacity.
Then Rojun murmured to Choi Rina.
“Shall we go?”
“Huh? Ah- yes, yes.”
Kang Rojun took his first step onto the red carpet.
And not long after, articles began to flood the internet.
《[Photo] Rojun ‘Visual that turns the red carpet into paradise’ / Photo》