Chapter 104: Changing Future (4)
[Melang Chart]
15th Cherry Blossom ‘Hurry Up!’ (New Entry)
Upon checking that Cherry Blossom’s song entered the Melang Chart at the same rank as in my past life, everyone in the meeting room burst into exclamations.
"Wow, look at the goosebumps on my arms!"
"Assistant Manager Jung. What exactly are you?"
"Do you really have some kind of special ability or something?"
"You could rival even the most renowned shamans."
"I bet you will be raking in bags of money if you quit the company and become a shaman."
Lee Dong-Min suddenly stood up. With an excited face, he shook hands with each of the employees. Though the final results were not out yet, such an encouraging start was unprecedented for Cherry Blossom.
"Great job, Team Lead Han! Well done, Assistant Manager Kim. Good job, everyone!"
Then, Lee Dong-Min came over to me, extending his hand, and said, "Assistant Manager Jung. This is all thanks to you."
"Not at all, Mr. Lee."
"Oh, but it really is. You brought in the composer, lyricist, and choreographer. The people you picked yourself did marvelous jobs. It's almost as if you produced it all by yourself, so don't be too modest.”
Lee Dong-Min kept patting my shoulder as if to dispel all the grievances of the past.
That's when I received a KkTalk notification.
Ding!
"Mr. Lee. I got a message from the girls at Hoengseong Girls' High School. Can I quickly check it for a moment if you let go..."
"Ah, right. Tell them well done too."
I unlocked Lee Dong-Min's firm handshake and checked the group chat.
[Group Chat: Official Fan Club Website. Cherry Blossom Family Admins]
[Han Kkot-Nim: Mr. J! Girls in our class are in love with 'Hurry Up!' Congratulations to us and Cherry Blossom for reaching 15th place!]
[Park Han-Byul: I told our class not only to listen but also to download it. 15th place is a bit disappointing.]
[Yang Ji-Woo: Don’t say that. I think we might reach first place in a few days with this momentum.]
[Sung Ji-Yeon: Ah, I'm not satisfied with the ranking. My favorite not being first feels like the world is wrong.]
[Assistant Manager Jung Yoon-Ho: Haha. What you've done so far is enough.]
The fan club website had managed to gather a thousand members in just a day. Not only did the four girls from Hoengseong Girls' High gather friends and relatives, but they also promoted Cherry Blossom's new song on the online communities they were part of. Their efforts truly exceeded my expectations.
But according to the girls, this was just the beginning.
[Han Kkot-Nim: Woah. Is Ji-Yeon finally drawing her sword?]
[Yang Ji-Woo: Mr. J. Ji-Yeon has been the president of the Elias Gangwon branch fanclub since she was in the seventh grade. She quit when Elias disbanded to focus on her studies.]
Elias was the fandom name for 'Dongbangminamdan,' a boy band that debuted a few years before Petite More and dominated the music charts for about two years.
I couldn’t believe that Sung Ji-Yeon had control over the entire Gangwon branch of the famous Elias fandom while in her first year of middle school.
‘Sung Ji-Yeon. What exactly are you?’
At that moment, the group chat began to explode with the girls’ conversation.
[Yang Ji-Woo: Huh? Petite More also charted just now. But the ranking seems a bit off.]
[Han Kkot-Nim: Wow. Isn't this some kind of a fraud?]
[Sung Ji-Yeon: As expected. I should have acted a bit earlier.]
Petite More's ranking appeared on the chart ten minutes after us. At that moment, I confirmed the reason behind the vague unease I had been feeling.
‘No way...’
[Melang Chart]
3rd: Petite More 'Masquerade'
6th: Petite More ‘Princess of the Night’
7th: Petite More ‘When Midnight Strikes’
8th: Petite More ‘Golden Carriage’
9th: Petite More ‘Magic Music Witch’
...
15th: Cherry Blossom 'Hurry Up!'
All five songs from Petite More’s fifth mini-album had entered the top ten rankings as soon as they hit the chart.
"Wh-what's this? What’s going on?"
A commotion arose among the employees who belatedly checked the rankings.
‘Was there ever a case where songs climbed the charts with such overwhelming performance immediately upon entry?’
This result was unprecedented even for Petite More's highly successful second and third mini-albums.
"Sigh. I guess first place... is out of reach now."
Someone's complaint brought down the previously lively atmosphere. Everyone had been excited at the thought of Cherry Blossom’s song soon soaring to first place, but now that hope was dashed.
However, I couldn't give up yet.
‘The Cherry Blossom members had worked so hard.’
"Mr. Park."
"Yes?" Assistant Manager Park Jin-Sung from the Promotion Division turned around with a disappointed expression.
"We can give Cherry Blossom more push with this rank, right?"
"Well, I guess. But that's..."
I was confident that with a song created by Bang Seon-Woo, lyrics by Jang Ye-Bin, and choreography by Park Seon-Nyeo, we could aim for first place.
With that confidence, I pressed the hesitant Park Jin-Sung.
"Mr. Park, Petite More entered the chart with a base of 200,000 fans. It's only natural for them to have high rankings. On the other hand, Cherry Blossom has just made an official fan club website and still reached 15th place without even having a fanbase. Please give them a good push. If you do, we can definitely take them to first place."
Park Jin-Sung's expression turned sour, perhaps due to Petite More's strong momentum. But Lee Dong-Min shook off his disappointment and requested a strong push as well upon hearing my words.
"Hey, Assistant Manager Park. Let’s be honest here—this is worth pushing! We are doing better than Golden Road right now. Are you really not going to give them a push?"
Lee Dong-Min and the staff from Singer Division 2 started to press Park Jin-Sung.
"Hurry up! We are now up to 14th place! Up, up!"
In the meantime, the news came that the ranking had climbed another step to 14th.
Park Jin-Sung nodded. "Understood. Since Singer Division 2 has achieved a historic chart entry, we'll run the publicity efforts at an A-grade level."
"Come on, make it S-grade."
Park Jin-Sung scratched his head with a troubled look and said, "It's difficult to give them an S-grade push right now, but we'll switch to an S-grade push immediately if we can overtake just one of Petite More's fifth album songs."
Lee Dong-Min quickly changed his expression and grabbed Park Jin-Sung's hand firmly and asked, "Is that a promise?"
"Yes, yes."
Park Jin-Sung made a face as if realizing his mistake for overpromising, but it was already a done deal.
I went further and showed the KkTalk group chat with the fanclub to Lee Dong-Min.
"Mr. Lee. Apparently, Sung Ji-Yeon used to be the branch manager of Elias."
"What? That quiet-looking kid was the branch manager for Elias in Gangwon? Weren't they notoriously fervent?"
"Yes. She managed the entire Gangwon region in her first year of middle school."
"What exactly is her identity?"
"Well, her family is incredibly wealthy, she's the top student in the entire school, and she's also the student council president of Hoengseong Girls' High School...so maybe a textbook definition of the perfect girl that everyone wants to be?"
"...Are you telling me to believe that?"
"I can hardly believe it myself, but apparently it’s true. Anyway, the admin team is rolling up their sleeves, so maybe we should at least support them with some goods."
Lee Dong-Min agreed after a moment of consideration. "Just tell them to buy anything they need for their publicity efforts and send us the receipt. We'll support them as much as we can."
The previously negative atmosphere vanished in an instant.
Then, Lee Dong-Min lifted the mood even further by mentioning my name. "Come on, everyone. Let's cheer up! We got this! Assistant Manager Jung assured us that we'll take first place!"
"Then is it Assistant Manager Jung's fault if we don't take first place this time?"
"Now that I think about it, I guess so. Assistant Manager Jung, you're treating us to a barbecue if Cherry Blossom doesn't take first place. Right?"
I couldn't understand why the blame was suddenly directed at me. But I couldn't dampen the rising momentum.
"Yes, sir! It will be on me."
‘I’ll have to take them to an all-you-can-eat buffet.’
I added 'all-you-can-eat' under my breath so no one could hear. But right now, buying what kind of barbecue was less important than beating Petite More.
The only thing we were lacking at the moment were recognition and popularity. I looked through the planner again just in case there might be a hint, but I couldn’t find anything that could help me.
This meant I had no choice but to rely on all the experience I had.
I immediately called Park Seon-Nyeo when a great idea to wage a publicity campaign suddenly popped up in my mind.
***
[Petite More, historic fifth mini album. All songs in 'Masquerade' album enters Melang Chart Top Ten]
[Petite More's new song 'Masquerade.' A dreamy image filled with the duality of angels and demons.]
[Petite More successfully changed their image to 'Hip-Hop Warriors']
[Park Eun-Bin's intense gaze! Reborn from a girl to a woman!]
[Cherry Blossom's 'Hurry Up!' enters the Melang Chart Top Ten! "It feels like a dream."]
In just one day, all five of Petite More's songs entered within the top seven rankings on the music chart. The fifth place was taken by boy group ZIZAK's ‘Just Us Tonight,’ which fluctuated within the top ten for a long time. The sixth place was occupied by boy group GOD.6's ‘Blue Bubble.’
In comparison, Cherry Blossom's new song had made it up to tenth place.
Lee Dong-Min sighed in disbelief. "They must have bought the entire page. How much are they pouring into advertising?"
"I hear TK Entertainment is going all out with their publicity efforts. Even though our Publicity Division is pouring in A-grade advertising budgets, it's nowhere near enough."
Upon hearing Han Myung-Ho’s words, Lee Dong-Min closed his tablet and looked at me with a frustrated expression and asked, "Assistant Manager Jung, how are things going on your side? Is everything going well?"
"Yes, sir. Don’t worry too much about it."
"I’m counting on you. I'll be at the broadcasting station to arrange the schedule, so you talk to the Publicity Division."
Lee Dong-Min left the meeting room with Han Myung-Ho for a face meeting for next week's comeback stage.
As time flew by busily, I received a call from Park Seon-Nyeo.
-Assistant Manager Jung, I've uploaded the lesson video. And my academy students will soon upload a cover of the video as well as a bonus lesson.
Park Seon-Nyeo informed me that she had uploaded the video in an excited voice. After hanging up the call, I immediately visited her MeTube channel—and on the channel was a 30-minute long lesson video.
[Cherry Blossom's choreographer Park Seon-Nyeo personally teaches 'Hurry Up!' dance moves in a simple lesson!]
The rise in income for idol groups and their rapid growth and overseas expansion owed a great deal to lesson videos and cover videos uploaded by the public. Cherry Blossom's 'Hurry Up!' also had a repetitive chorus and distinctive choreography, making it a great song to cover.
After all, I had asked choreographer Park Seon-Nyeo to aim for that purpose and come up with such a choreography from the beginning. But simply waiting around wouldn't guarantee when cover videos would be uploaded.
'Then we can upload the cover video ourselves.'
The lesson video Park Seon-Nyeo uploaded was simple enough for even a person with two left feet like me to follow. With 150,000 subscribers and a daily viewership of 30,000, Park Seon-Nyeo's MeTube channel quickly started to increase the views for Cherry Blossom's new song 'Hurry Up!'
And before even 30 minutes had passed, the cover videos from the 30 to 50 year-old female members of Park Seon-Nyeo's aerobics class began to be uploaded one by one.
The cover videos of the fresh and lively (although questionable by many) academy ladies shouting 'Ho' loudly while dancing immediately caught everyone's attention. The ladies in the video were performing sharp choreography in flashy fluorescent aerobics outfits.
"That's it. This should stir up some buzz."
Jung Sang-Bong who was standing beside me couldn't stop laughing as he watched the video. "Wow, this really stands out. Wow~ It's just amazing. Hahaha."
I spoke to the laughing Jung Sang-Bong in a soft voice, "Why are you talking like it's someone else's business? You'll soon be wearing fluorescent tights and dancing with them."
Ast that moment, Jung Sang-Bong's face turned white beyond pale. "What? What do you mean... Me? In tights? Why?"
"Don’t you think a talent agent’s self-sacrifice is necessary to increase even one more view?"
Shocked by my comment, Jung Sang-Bong's face turned ashen and he began to tremble.
I patted Jung Sang-Bong's shoulder to comfort him and said, "Hang in there. You'll get used to it quickly."
Leaving the dazed Jung Sang-Bong behind, I sent video links and article summaries to the reporters.
***
As night fell, the articles began to be published one by one as expected.
[Cherry Blossom's new song 'Hurry Up!' reaches 220,000 views on MeTube!]
[The most rapidly viewed video uploaded in Korea this year!]
[Aerobics academy students' 'Hurry Up!' cover video!]
The public reaction to Cherry Blossom’s new song was better than I had anticipated.
'Let's keep this going. Onward!'
Ding!
At that moment, I received a KkTalk message from someone I had asked to cover the video.
[Lovely?Yoo-Jin: Oppa, I've filmed the video. What should I do now?]
[Assistant Manager Jung Yoon-Ho: Already?]
[Lovely?Yoo-Jin: Yes. I have about four videos of Miso dancing, but I'm not sure which one to send to you.]
[Assistant Manager Jung Yoon-Ho: Send them all to me for now.]
[Lovely?Yoo-Jin: Okay.]
[Assistant Manager Jung Yoon-Ho: Thanks!]
I had asked Yoo-Jin, who had finished filming early for the day, to dance to 'Hurry Up!' with Miso to create a buzz for Cherry Blossom.
The moment I played the video Yoo-Jin sent, a pleased smile naturally spread across my face.
"Haha, it’s a good thing I asked."
Wearing her Powertuff Girls pajamas, Miso was swaying her hips and waving her hands in the air to the lively accompaniment of 'Hurry Up!'
I couldn't take my eyes off Miso as she danced the 'Hurry Up!' dance with a huge grin on her face.
-Hurry up!
-Listen up!
Miso's face flushed red with the intense dance. As the first verse ended, Miso turned her head.
-Mom, how was my dance?
-It was great! Miso is the best dancer in the world!
-Really? Hehe! Then Mom, dance with me!
-But I don't know how to!
-Aww! Still! Let's dance together!
When Miso whined, Yoo-Jin placed her phone down and started dancing to 'Hurry Up!' next to Miso. Yoo-Jin was also wearing the Powertuff Girls pajamas I had gifted her, perhaps because she was taking a rest at home.
But to my surprise, Yoo-Jin's dance was quite something to watch. In fact, she danced so well that it was almost startling.
-Hurry up!
-Wow! Mom, you're really good!
'This could be a huge hit.'
Yoo-Jin was already fiercely competing with 'Moonlight Starpour', a rival drama to her current drama ‘Blue Sky', closing the viewership gap to less than 3%. Thanks to that, Yoo-Jin's popularity was rising rapidly each day and attracted the attention of reporters.
But Yoo-Jin went further and created an issue we hadn't anticipated with her unexpectedly good dancing.
And the next day, the MeTube views and chart rankings were updated.
That’s when cheers erupted continuously from Singer Division 2.
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