78 - Upki Girl

< Activation of the Third Unit > Entertainment managers are generally categorized into four main types. Road manager, casting manager, schedule manager, and production manager (CEO). Among these, the position responsible for overseeing and managing overall schedules like broadcasting, events, and commercials, including contracts and promotions, is the schedule manager. Unfortunately, this position was absent at Hum Hum Hum. However, that changed today. Mr. Kim Sang-in, formerly a chief manager at Planmaker, has decided to assist us. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Kim Sang-in. It's a bit surreal meeting like this, haha." The face is familiar. He was the manager of Plan L and Jehee, and in a past life, he handled Happy Joy and Eumbit. His connection with Hum Hum Hum began through trainee training and music projects, which led him to participate in the "Find Your Dream" audition as a representative of Planmaker. I knew he was Jehee's manager until recently, but it seems he has stepped down since then. He briefly introduced his profile to the Hum Hum Hum PDs and the UpKey Girls members. "I worked as a field manager at HD Media for 'Six One' for three years, then spent six years at Yejin Entertainment, and five years at Planmaker since Plan L's debut. I felt it was time for me to try production myself, but then CEO Yeom contacted me during my break." Aged thirty-eight, he has a wife and a daughter who just turned one. He started as a road manager for boy groups and solely handled idol groups for fourteen years, leading Plan L to the top tier. His experience seemed invaluable to us. For now, we decided to entrust him with Yona's solo activities and the debut album of UpKey Girls. After introductions at the office, Yeom, Lee Jang-woo, Kim Sang-in, and I moved to a restaurant for more discussions. During the meal, we informed him of our current work processes, financial status, and the position and desired concepts of each member. He couldn't hide his surprise and curiosity throughout the conversation. Our kids are certainly something special. Though Eumbit and Seowon's stories were already known through NoDew, the trio of Yona, Yoonhong, and Alia seemed quite impressive, garnering innumerable puzzled looks from him. Another point that caught him off guard was the rapid album preparation process. "You proceeded with it immediately after NoDew? It's been just over two months, right?" "That's correct." "And you're planning for Yona's solo at the end of November, with the team debut around mid-December?" "Yes." A total of five months... Gosh... I lost my sense of time due to a time regression, but his words made me realize how swiftly we had been moving forward, as if roasting beans in a flash. Considering it usually takes an idol group at least two years from planning to album release, what we are doing is not just reckless—it's outright insane. Moreover, Yona is the only member who properly went through trainee processes. "But judging by the kids' atmosphere, it seems like they've been living together for about three years. It's not easy for girls to bond so quickly." "That's an advantage. The kids adapt fast. Some members have already fought and reconciled." "When we prepped Plan L, the company was very strict. It made them close-knit." I've heard about it through Jehee myself. That's why the members could bond so tightly. "But perhaps because I have a daughter now, I can't do that anymore. Just seeing the kids today, I couldn't help but smile." "Yes, it's not just because they're our kids—they truly are kind and lovely..." There are some risk factors, but there’s no need to mention them to Kim Sang-in since we wouldn't really clash much with him. "So, you two will be accompanying me from now on, right?" He pointed at Lee Jang-woo and me, to which I responded. "Yes. Neither of us knows much about that area, so you'll have to teach us a lot." "First, I need to organize Yona's solo schedule. You mentioned she just needs music shows and events, right?" "Yes." Currently, there are six live music broadcasts. Among them, KBS's 'Music Market,' MBC's 'Best Music,' and SBS's 'Trend Song' are collectively referred to as 'Music Trio.' Additionally, there are two public cable broadcasts, one music-specialized cable, and a pre-recorded broadcast on Arirang TV, which means we have music shoot schedules throughout the week. "I'll aim for one out of the Music Trio and three cable ones, totaling four. Most likely, Trend Song. I have a couple of favors owed from PD Moon there, haha." It's widely known that appearing on music broadcasts often results in a financial loss rather than a gain. Due to declining credibility and viewership, they're sometimes called an exclusive league. However, the difference between participating and not participating is vast. For newcomers, it's the only stage to promote and a key metric that can determine their 'debut.' Performance fees vary based on music show appearances. While releasing an album isn't particularly difficult, many small entertainment companies stumble at the threshold of music broadcasts. "Also, prepare event repertoires. Three cover songs besides her own. Covering hit songs from groups that UpKey Girls idolize can help with image-making. Do they have a role model group?" "Plan L?" Kim Sang-in chuckled at my joking comment. "Hahaha, we can get MRs with harmony, so let me know. And the members are doing live broadcasts, right?" "Yes, on W Live. We made an account under the company, and it has about 7,000 followers. Typically, two to three hundred viewers, and over five hundred at peak times." “Oh? That’s quite a number for someone who hasn’t debuted yet, right? Ah, Yona has a bit of a fandom, doesn’t she?” Yeom responded. “No, from the chat comments, it seems Eumbit has the most individual fans. She’s consistently done personal broadcasts since appearing on NoDew.” “Wow... they say being a true otaku beats being just pretty.” The CEO of Planmaker was constantly singing Eumbit’s praises, and it seems Kim Sang-in was also quite enamored with her. I suddenly recalled that after Eumbit Unit 1 passed away, Kim had fallen into a depression and even quit his job as a manager. Regardless, it seems he was destined to leave Planmaker. In the original timeline, he was supposed to manage Happy Joy, so why did he end up quitting? “Isn’t Planmaker also preparing a girl group? I read an article that Jehee was supposed to be producing it.” I casually broached the subject, only to receive an unexpected reply. “Oh, Jehee stepped down from that.” “Really?” Kim Sang-in shook his head, his expression one of frustration, and went off the record to explain the internal situation. “There were too many disagreements with the CEO. It stressed him out so much that he drank all the time and eventually said he’d quit after I left. He even called earlier saying he wouldn’t renew his contract with Plan and would start a solo company, asking me to join him...ugh, what a temper...” Yeom nodded in agreement, seemingly understanding how he felt. “He needs to control his temper a bit. He used to go AWOL saying he wanted to quit even when he was a trainee.” “Right, Jehee usually seems calm and composed, but sometimes he can be stubborn. It seems like it’s one of those times now. He called at 9 AM the other day from a motel in Jongno, asking me to pick him up.” Yikes. “When I got there, he was alone, practically collapsed in a place that wouldn't even qualify as a lodging. He’d been with a high school friend who left for work... he's not the type to go to such a place with a friend unless it’s a hotel…” Gulp! That’s me. That’s my story. Jehee and I had parted ways at the motel without any incident, and we had exchanged messages around lunchtime checking if I got home safe. After that, we lost contact. I think Jehee might be embarrassed about showing such a vulnerable side to me, hence not reaching out. I, on the other hand, was busy calming down a moody Seowon, dealing with Alia’s introduction, and so forth, so I hadn’t made any efforts to communicate. Though, honestly, that’s just an excuse. I intentionally didn’t reach out. At the time, I was so infatuated with Jehee, to the point it felt like an illness. Even now, I often find myself typing Jehee's name in the search bar. This fear of my own emotions prevented me from taking any steps towards contact. After all, with the UpKey Girls around, what would come of meeting him? Thankfully, though, he decided not to produce for Happy Joy. That’s good. Could it be my advice helped that day? I wonder if I should reach out since he seems to be having a tough time lately. Does Jehee miss me too? In a reminiscent fervor, I shouted internally: You darn source code! “Does Jehee know you’re working with us?” I asked Kim Sang-in. He nodded. “Yes, I mentioned it earlier when he called. He jokingly called me a traitor, hehe.” “What are Jehee’s future plans?” “He’s contracted to release a solo album before his contract with Plan ends. So he’ll be prepping for that. He’s keen on production, so he’ll likely start an independent company instead of renewing his contract.” After parting ways with Manager Kim and returning to the dorms, I took the opportunity while the girls were doing their live broadcast to discreetly message Jehee. Me: [How have you been?] JH: [Hello, oppa!] JH: [I heard Sang-in oppa is just handling scheduling for you now?] Me: [I guess Dae-soo asked him] JH: [Did you find all the members now?] Me: [Yes, we brought in a main dancer] JH: [Wow, you must be really busy, oppa] Me: [Yona’s doing solo activities before the team debut. We already finished recording a couple of days ago] JH: [That's great ㅠㅠ I ended up giving up on the Happy Joy kids…] Me: [Really? Why?] I asked, feigning unfamiliarity, and received the same explanation Sang-in gave me earlier. JH: [I’ve been feeling down lately, drinking all the time!] Me: [Cheer up. You could plan everything from scratch yourself] JH: [I guess I should. So if you see any promising talents, don’t keep them to yourself and introduce them to me!] Me: [There is someone...] Jung Yoo-jin, Seowon’s friend and another talented individual. Upon hearing Yoo-jin's story—soft delinquency, studying in China—Jehee expressed interest in talking to her and asked me to facilitate a meeting. After explaining the situation to Yoo-jin and getting her approval, I shared her contact info with Jehee. As a token of appreciation, he promised to buy me drinks someday. Be it Koja Rhythm or whatever, despite my intense desire to meet and have a drink while secretly catching a whiff of his hair, I resisted the temptation. Carpe diem, live and let go. Now isn't the time to indulge in drinking and relationships. *** Yona’s solo track “Open” has completed mixing and mastering. This means her debut is imminent. From this point, everything proceeded simultaneously. The song was released solely as a digital track, but promotional copies required for broadcast stations needed to be produced, so a simple jacket design was created for a run of 1,000 copies. Backup dancers and a styling team were also secured. The music video and profile shoot were conducted on the same day, and I personally drafted the press release to be sent to media outlets along with the CD. ―――――――― Yona, formerly of girl group Eye Contact, steps into her solo career with her first single “OPEN.” Admired as a well-rounded idol with balanced skills in dance, singing, and appearance since her trainee days with Eye Contact, she gained a fandom as the “Gorgeous Yona.” Yona's debut track, "OPEN," is a refreshing house dance song with a tropical melody that highlights her exceptional dancing skills and catchy vocals. The song is enriched with a feature from Samaru, the runner-up of Rap Monster Season 3 and a rising star in the hip-hop scene, adding depth and enhancing its overall quality. Additionally, Yona is set to debut as part of the five-member girl group Upkeygirl. She expressed her excitement about greeting the public first through her solo activities, marking her ambitions clearly. ―――――――― The promotional materials were compiled onto USB drives for gifting and distributed to TV and radio stations, as well as media outlets, by Kim Sang-in. I followed him, observing and learning from the entire process. Thanks to Kim Sang-in's connections, activities were booked one after another even before the official release of the song. It helped that Yona was considered an established artist. “We’ve secured spots on Trend Song and Music Aurora.” “When will these be?” “The week of the release. We can get about 15 fan seats, so you can post about it on the fan cafe for first-come, first-served ticketing.” This guy is definitely proving his worth. Our reliable attorney will be hitting the field again after a long break. As I input the information into my phone, Kim Sang-in continued: “But it seems your activities might overlap with Eye Contact. They’re also making a comeback that week. Well, it shouldn’t be an issue, right?” < Activation of the Third Unit > End