222 - Upki Girl

< The Bounty of the Garden > Composer: Next-Door Composer, Upkey Girl Lyricist: Next-Door Lyricist, Upkey Girl Arranger: Next-Door Arranger <About the Song by Next-Door Composer> Upkey Girl is my one and only muse. Upkey Girl is my one and only object. They are five yet one, one yet five, and sometimes two, three, four, forming intersections and unions that constantly stimulate my creative desires. One day, while I was practicing on the keyboard, I dozed off and had a short dream. Somewhere on a Mediterranean beach, the members of Upkey Girl were singing and dancing. A misty purple glow emanated from their bodies, each with its distinct form and fragrance permeating the shore. Sand, leaves, rocks, butterflies, and unnamed flowers were mesmerized, soaking in the glow of Upkey Girl. Or rather, they absorbed it, drank it, consumed it. In the dream, I was also a part of nature, one among them. When I regained consciousness at the boundary of dream and reality, as if intoxicated by sleep or possessed by something, I sketched the main line of ‘Violet’ on the keyboard. On the crude MR that was completed, Upkey Girl members gladly layered their unique purple hues. I was grateful. It was magnificent. I was moved. I did nothing at all. When the recording was done, I thought, "I could die happy now." But I didn’t want to die. I won’t die. Because I want to work again with my one and only muse, my one and only object... ―――――――― A handwritten introduction by the next-door composer scrolled like subtitles on a large monitor. The journalists’ typing sped up feverishly. Did they understand any of that? To be honest, even after ruminating over it two or three times, I have no clue what it means. I clearly asked the next-door composer to explain ‘what the genre of the song is and what the lyrics mean’, yet he sent this as if it were a pretentious SNS caption. Still, it was unusual and eye-catching, so I published it as the album introduction. To sum it up: An insanely talented composer meets an insanely talented singer and an insanely tailored masterpiece is born. The genre is a mishmash of house, jazz, electronic, and hip-hop, blah blah... Who cares about the intro? As long as the song is good, that's all that matters. The handwritten introduction on the LED screen disappeared, replaced by nameless violet blossoms that blossomed profusely, scattering and spreading like spring cherry blossoms. A 10-second piano prelude began. The lighting centered around tranquil pastel tones of purple and blue. Then, over the piano melody, a drum beat thumped steadily as Hong and Yona’s alternating rap and choreography began. ――RAP―― (Yona) Puzzle of the fractured dawn (Yeonhong) A magic that awakens my drowsy self (Yona) Sitting by the window, gazing at the sky, it's Violet (Yeonhong) A secret smile to a softly spoken confession by all lights (Yona) Our threads sway within the universe's rules like marionettes (Yeonhong) A single rhythm crafting two queries Is a world ruled by senses beautiful or a third kind of summoning? The answer could be one or many, indeed Only when we are wholly ourselves Just give me one answer, where is this? That shower of flowers from the sky, please don’t let them wander (Yona) Even senseless chatter is pleasant The scent of dawn is always right Lightly step on your feet with bare feet, looking up at the sky The aurora and midnight sun of the Arctic unfold Blind by the beauty for a moment, I might weep Tightly shut my eyes, warmly feeling Violet, violet, violet... ――Song―― (Eunbit) With a step, I felt something different today Reach out your feet as if dancing, leisurely and slowly Nothing urgent, no one’s nagging No need to do anything in particular on a day like this, hmm? (Seowon) Amazing, I didn’t know this side of me Could I smile like this too? Unreality detached from neon lights, a delight for me Forgetting even the names called thus far, immersed in the light here ――Chorus―― (Yona) At the end of this road, at the end of waiting Meeting a new beginning, shining, and coloring (Seowon) At the end of longing, at the end of tears Finally meeting you, whose breath resembles mine, so comforting ――Song & Rap―― (Aliya) I absentmindedly glanced at my wrist, no watch there Is this what becomes poignant at times like this? I’m not sure myself (Yeonhong) Probably not longing Just a touch of dizziness is needed (Aliya) Even beside me, I think of you and miss you at times Am I really turning odd like this? I’m confused (Yeonhong) No worries, it’s all growing pains everyone faces Just a pinch of honesty is what’s needed (Aliya) I don’t know, it’s still hard for me I'll just dance and sip nectar like a butterfly, yeah like this... ――Dance Break, Aliya Center―― (Hook) Violet, violet, violet... ――Dance Break, Yona Center―― (Hook) By all lights, by all lights, by all lights... . . . . Many were curious to see what kind of performance would emerge from this beat and song. It didn’t ride on the latest trends nor did it resonate with the familiar vibe of dance music that girl groups typically offered. Yet, it was good. If it’s good, that's all that matters. No matter how much you resort to underhanded tactics like bulk buying or paying distributors to temporarily boost your rankings, if a song isn't good, it will quickly be ignored. Maintaining the number one spot on the charts for three days without any tricks signifies that the song itself is truly that good. When such a stellar song is paired with Liyah's innovative, unconventional choreography and Yona's dance performance that perfectly taps into what the public desires, it creates a captivating stage that no one can resist getting swept up in. The atmosphere has completely shifted from when they were doing cover songs on Ripple Girl. The real-world stage experience gained from competing for three months there has truly maximized the kids’ abilities and stage presence. From the looks of admiration on the faces of journalists and fans in the press section, it was clear. Even if the current industry politics prevent them from snagging a music show win right away, they definitely meet and surpass the expectations and interest that have been showered upon Upkey Girl. The naysayers who scoffed, saying, "No matter how well they perform cover songs, if their own music is lacking, it’s all for naught," are now rendered speechless. The showcase was also being live-streamed via Muse TV, and the flood of real-time reactions was impossible to keep up with. ― RomanticMarried: Forget any labels or titles. It's just Upkey Girl. ― HmmHa: Thinking about how they prepared this while filming Ripple Girl, all I can say is, "They've outdone themselves." Seowon is light, and Yeonhong is my truth! ― SupremeSeowon: Mune manager, you might as well close shop today. Bring out all the hype for Upkey Girl! ― FriedGrill: LOL, let's see what those skeptical fans who said they can only do covers have to say now. ― ReeRow: Wow, Eunbit absolutely shines in this concept! This is why I'm a shine stan! Let's ride the BitCoin to the moon!!! ― ChickenKimbap: Proud to be an Upkey! Thank you, our dear girls!!!!! ― ReFire: Got goosebumps, seriously. ㅠ ― GarinGun: Thinking about how they couldn't rest while preparing alongside Ripple Girl makes me teary-eyed. ㅠㅠ ― WhatDoIDo: The precision and energy in that synchronized dance, awesome! ― Hoya虎冶: My fierce ones really pushed through with the dance practice. Thanks for the spectacular stage! ― ajy3201: We need a styling award at year-end shows. Upkey Girl's stylists deserve a prize. ― KingGodNyang: Totally agree on the styling award. There's not a hint of cheapness, and you can tell each outfit was custom-made to fit the members perfectly. Seems they've been working together since the "Hug Me" era, practically like one team now. ― no2ran: Ultimate evolution Upkey Girl. They've progressed even further in just three days. ― MonopolyNo.1: With each performance, it feels like Liyah reaches almost a divine level when she dances. It's not just the movements; her expressions are on point. Starting with the title track "Violet," they presented the rest of the songs in front of the fans. Three days since the album's release, fans had already memorized most of the lyrics and sang along in unison. In terms of chart rankings, "Want Some Coffee," produced by Dante, is following "Violet" in popularity, placing fourth. Dante’s sophisticated and trendy beats, paired with lyrics about a woman taking the lead in confessing, have made it particularly popular with female fans. Perhaps that’s why the real-time audience reaction stood out sharply compared to other songs. They had prepared choreography for all six songs, so they decided to choose the follow-up song based on fan reactions, and at this rate, "Want Some Coffee" seemed the likely candidate. "Thank you!" Between songs, they did talk segments and games, and also held a Q&A session using questions fans had written on notes and placed in a box. ―Q1: Is there a particular variety show you personally want to try during this album promotion? Eunbit: The Ultimate Quiz King. I've been reading a lot of quiz books lately, and I’m confident I can make it to the end. Seowon: I'd love for "The Shadow's Light," a manager reality show, to be regularly aired. Yona: A travel show with the members. Hong: Mukbang. Only mukbang. Specifically, "Cracking Famous Restaurants." Liyah: Mune Prank Show. ―Q2: Do you have a promise in mind if you win first place in a music show? Eunbit: This time, Yona and I will do a Maxim magazine pictorial. Seowon: Don’t say that unless we actually win first place. Don't get people's hopes up. Yona: Yeah, let's do a Maxim shoot, haha. Hong: I promise to do whatever you want, just give us a number 1 win. Liyah: Mune Prank Show. ―Q3: If you could be invisible for five minutes, what would you do? Eunbit: Hehehe... something naughty, something naughty... Seowon: Of course, something naughty. Yona: Indulge in extraordinarily lewd actions that I wouldn't dare dream of usually, without harming anyone. Hong: As indecent as possible, yet thrilling behavior. Liyah: Mune Prank Show. "Alright, there's one last question. Liyah, would you pick it for us?" "Sure. Here you go." "Okay, let me read it. If you could live in the body of one of the members, whose would it be and why? I'll go first." Eunbit → Yeonhong: Because she's adorable. Seowon → Eunbit: I'm curious about what’s going on in her mind. Yona → Seowon: I'd like to sing with Seowon's voice. Hong → Liyah: Because she's the youngest. Liyah → Yona: The best body for a Mune Prank Show. Crazy Aliyah. The punchline always comes back to Mune Prank Show, doesn’t it? The showcase and the first season fan meeting concluded successfully. I expected tears to start as soon as they began because more fans came than anticipated, but they held it together remarkably well until the final farewell, when they finally burst into tears. During the post-event dinner, they admitted they’d made a bet not to cry since they’ve shown their tears too much before. Even with the fun rule that whoever cried first would have to wear a punishment outfit at the fan signing event, it turned out Yona was the one to break down. As the leader, it seems she'd been holding back her emotions for quite some time. We are set to begin our three-week promotion for "Violet" starting with the comeback stage on today's “Trend Music,” coinciding with the tallying of the album’s first-week sales in four days. While we’re ahead in digital, we anticipate that the physical album sales and real-time votes will heavily favor our competitor, blocking our path to a number one win. That was the expectation, but the day after the showcase, an unexpected surge of support began. It was as if the seeds we planted had blossomed into a garden brimming with fruit. *** <Salute! Comrades, we initiate the 2nd ‘If You're a Soldier, Vote for Upkey Girl’ campaign.> How many groups have topped the digital charts and then abandoned military kindness tours? Yet, Upkey Girl continues to appear on those tours despite their busy schedule. It’s time for our service members to support them! The method is simple: Send a group chat message to add Upkey Girl’s songs to the playlists of family and friends, and replace all gifts with the Upkey Girl album. For your parents’ birthdays, for a friend's birthday, for your girlfriend on your 100-day anniversary—Upkey Girl albums only. Why not visit an old teacher on Teacher’s Day and give them an Upkey Girl album? <Hey guys, let’s think rationally.> What has the Billboard number one boy group ever done for us? However, if Upkey Girl takes first place, Eunbit and Yona will pose for Maxim. So buy the Upkey Girl album. We can catch up in album sales if we try! ㄴCatch up, really? Lol, you idiot. Check how many copies the boy group sold as an initial count. How can a girl group beat a boy group, seriously? ㄴI'm talking initial count. But their second week sales dropped this week. ㄴOh? So there is a chance? Then Brothers, leave an Upkey Girl album at the parents' house! <Remember the couple brought together by Upkey Girl?> We started dating because Eunbit accidentally handed over her phone at a college festival. We bought 20 Upkey Girl albums for our anniversary to express our gratitude, hahaha. <Producer of fishing show ‘FlapFlap’ here with my album proof photo.> <Did you know? With every Upkey Girl album sold, a portion is donated to charities for single mothers and abandoned animals...> <Lip Balm’s official fan cafe organizing a group buy for Upkey Girl albums ^^> <Strongest Doosan! All Doosan fans surely own at least one Upkey Girl album?> <It’s Kangcheol from ‘5-BBA.’ Upkey Girl juniors gave me a signed CD, but I bought extra with my own money to gift to my staff.> <Here’s an album proof shot from Yujun and Yujun’s mom *^^*> <Military girlfriend of 3 months here. Does anyone have an Upkey Girl album? My boyfriend is begging for one, but they’re impossible to find.> ㄴI’m looking too, but finding an Upkey Girl album has become as crazy as the honey butter chip craze. ㄴWere they really that popular??? ㄴIf they hit number one, two members will shoot a Maxim pictorial. Men, sigh... ㄴIt's not just about the pictorial; soldiers love Upkey Girl because of their military kindness tours. They say it's no joke how they're rallying up the troops to make their idols hit number one. Haha. <Free Upkey Girl Album Giveaway!> ...were already grabbed by this raccoon man, so give up! *** ―Shall we check out today’s number one contenders on Trend Music? First, the defending champion for two weeks straight, the robust boy group! ―Next, the pristine and strong girl group Lovely Girl, who’s also contending for number one for the second week! ―Lastly, Upkey Girl, meeting us as number one contenders right after their comeback! Wow, what a lineup of teams this week. ―Then let’s meet the five girls returning with violet allure, the celestial girl group Upkey Girl’s comeback stage! Music, go go go! Even just hearing the words “number one contender” makes my heart race. "Jangwoo, could it be that our Upnanies are really going to cause a huge sensation?" "What was our initial album sales again? I’m so frazzled, I can’t even remember." "Thirty-six thousand seven hundred forty-two copies. Second highest in girl group initial sales history. First is High-Teen Lovers, and we're just 200 copies behind them." < The Bounty of the Garden > End