Chapter Thirty-Six: Spring
already cleared out floors two and three in advance."That's it..."After that, Park Jung-Hyung took Ji Kyeong-Won for a brief tour of the left building. They spent about ten minutes looking around befo...Hina walked out of the restroom, lowering her head and gently swaying her bangs that were slightly damp from washing her hands earlier. As she stepped outside and looked up, she saw Minami waiting for her by the wall, not leaning against it. She was pursing her lips and looking at the end of the corridor with her eyes.
She casually followed her gaze in that direction, but there wasn't a single person there.
"What's wrong"
The sudden sound didn't frighten Minami, she seemed to have sensed her friend's arrival moments ago. She retracted her gaze, withdrew her hands from her sleeves and gently rolled them up to her wrists. After one last glance in the direction where Kyou was leaving, she turned her head, shook her hair and grinned, revealing a hint of pink gums.
"It's nothing."
……
I chose a relatively upscale Korean restaurant near the Olympic Park this evening. Park Jin-young introduced me to the restaurant and said that they use organic vegetables, which he claims are more nutritious and flavorful than ordinary vegetables. He said he'd been there a few times before and really liked it, and he also casually recommended the organic farm to Ji-seong An.
Pool Jingyuan smiled and agreed, taking a bite and nodding to indicate it was good. However, he wasn't really paying attention and didn't take it seriously at all.
After dinner, they got down to business. As expected of Park Jin-young, the topic was about the audition show "sixteen." However, what surprised him was that he wasn't just invited as a regular guest. He was actually invited to be a judge for one of the episodes, where he would provide feedback on the trainees' performances and make decisions about their group assignments and eliminations based on his choices.
That's quite interesting.
Ji Jingyuan has participated in many variety shows, big and small, over the past three years of his debut. However, because of his seniority and age, being invited to be a judge, a role that is more professional in nature, is really his first time.
Park Jin-young said exaggerated things, saying stuff like "your opinion is very important in deciding whether they can debut" and other nonsense. Pool Geon-won didn't take it seriously at all.
No company would hand over the right to choose an artist's debut to outsiders.
To be honest, he's quite interested in being a judge, especially for Tzuyu.
I wonder what kind of expression Tzuyu had when she saw herself on stage.
It seemed as if he had thought of that stunned face, and a sly smile flickered in Chi Jingyuan's eyes.
Park Jin-young invited himself because he saw that EXO and himself had high popularity. He probably wanted to use their popularity and buzz to increase the viewership.
This is nothing, it's a normal kind of business cooperation, just like the various variety show invitations that are sent to s company about EXO and themselves every day.
After the successful comeback of "", EXO's popularity is undeniable. They can boost viewership ratings on any variety show, making them a hot commodity for television producers. Many programs are clamoring to have them appear. Recently, Park Chan-yeol, Do Kyungsoo, and Baekhyun have all received individual variety show offers.
The difference is that the program is not hosted by a television station, but produced by JYP and collaborators.
However, for Ji Jingyuan, it doesn't make much difference because any variety show invites him to participate based on his popularity and heat. It's common practice in the industry to elevate some and belittle others, and Park Jin-young is also considered sincere enough.
After some thought, Chi Jingyuan did not immediately agree but said he still respected the company's arrangement and let JYP and S handle the contact. He didn't care about things like performance fees and shooting time, letting the company communicate. However, he hinted that he could try talking to his manager.
Park Jin-young is more enthusiastic about it, and his goal has also been achieved. He understands that someone like Ji Kyeong-won's personality wouldn't just boast or make promises like that. Since he said it this way, it's basically certain.
Under the pleasant atmosphere, Park Jin-young also introduced the program "sixteen" and its approximate shooting schedule. According to him, it should be until late April before the episode featuring Park Ji-won's solo performance is filmed. It's quite a while away from now.
After dinner, Ji Jingyuan politely declined Park Jin-young's offer to send him back. He got into a chauffeured van driven by Park Jae-hyun who had been waiting nearby and returned to the company. There, he reunited with the other members to make final preparations for their comeback with "".
The last two days are here, though I've almost finished practicing. A little last-minute review can definitely be helpful.
On the other hand, it has to be said that I-ssa's return this time really has a lot of momentum. The audio source results were completely unexpected and even better than expected. It can even be said that they are a smash hit.
They achieved an all-kill on March 31st, after their title track "onlyyou" topped the charts six times in a row since its release on March 30th. Their full album was released that day, and their main track immediately reached number one on the chart. After a day of anticipation, the song achieved an all-kill on the last day of March.
This is not even the end of it, 《onlyyou》 achieved the amazing feat of a 'perfect all-kill' on all music charts during the night.
'Perfect All Kill', abbreviated as 'PAK' by K-pop fans, is a higher tier than the ordinary 'All Kill'. It is one of the most coveted achievements in the K-pop industry for its remarkable music chart performance.
Only when it achieves the top spot on all real-time, daily, and weekly charts across major streaming platforms like lon, genie, bugs, and others can it be considered a complete success.
The first two are understandable, the top spot on the weekly chart is not something anyone can achieve. But to get all three simultaneously is even harder, each song that achieves this represents an extremely high level of popularity and listens.
‘Pak’s achievement is truly not simple. Exo has never achieved this since their debut, and Issa is also the first idol group to complete ‘Pak’ since 2014.
Not only is the audio source quality excellent, but the number of listens and related comments are also very good. At a glance, there are constant positive reviews. The song was released less than two days ago, and it already feels like the momentum is building.
And as their comeback period coincided exactly with theirs, even the debut stage was on the same day. EXO's fans at this time had some worries, especially some new fans (Aeli). Seeing that IU, whose group is led by the "disliked woman" Bae Suzy, was a major competitor to EXO's latest album "" with such remarkable sound source results, they couldn't help but feel anxious.
I can't help but worry, this time the brothers are still focusing on lyrical songs as their main focus. What if we lose
But some old fans expressed that they didn't care at all, still calm and collected, comforting new fans while eagerly awaiting the release of EXO's tonight single album 'X' and the music video.
Because longtime fans in the industry know about the problems with this group, I.S.S.A., they won the annual song grand prize in their debut year, and their sound source performance has been good every time they return since then. However, their situation is still a bit awkward, they can't make much money because they have a major weakness.
...is sales volume.
This time is the same, under the explosive sound source data of 《onlyyou》, the album sales are still less than 6000 copies sold so far. Even among girl groups that don't pay much attention to sales figures, this number is too meager. Not to mention comparing it to the sales powerhouse Girls' Generation, even ordinary first- and second-tier girl groups like Apink, Sistar, and Girls' Day are better than them, and by a large margin.
This sales figure is even eight times that of Red Velvet, a group that debuted less than a year ago and only recently broke out of the "disbandment" curse they were constantly subjected to after their comeback. They had just barely made it into mainstream popularity.
It's really all free riders and casual listeners. True fans who are willing to spend real money are just too few.
But ironically, a combination that makes money from peripherals and tours relies the most on the support of die-hard fans who are willing to spend. This has resulted in the fact that since their debut, the group "issa" has remained financially unrewarding despite having excellent sound sources.
Speaking of which, there are many popular songs, good sound sources, and high recognition. The group also has the extremely popular and national idol Suzy, but whenever they come back, no one seems to be willing to buy it. This phenomenon is really strange, and I estimate that even JYP himself might not understand it.
Under this kind of polarized performance, it's also difficult to define whether issa's return this time is good or bad.
It should be alright...
Meanwhile, other fans and a large number of passersby also shifted their attention from Issa to EXO, who were set to make a comeback this morning with their second EP, "X".
Because of the hype surrounding *e*'s performance, coupled with recent discussions about a "ballad as the main song" on various music forums, and the buzz around Issa's powerful presence coinciding with this release, public anticipation and interest in *x* has reached a peak.
Is EXO continuing the heat from "callbaby" or even surpassing it, or is it because of their self-importance and their choice to go for a ballad as the main track that they will directly flop This time will tell.
……
"Hey, what was Ji Jingyuan doing here yesterday"
In the dormitory of 'ajor組', after finishing filming, several trainees who had just gotten together took a shower and were sitting on the sofa in the living room, chatting idly. As they talked, Lin Na-yeon suddenly remembered yesterday's encounter, her eyes lit up with excitement, and she quickly said to Sun Choi-eun next to her.
The variety show "" has officially begun filming. During the recent shoot, they divided into two groups: major (seven members) and or (nine members), both of whom have moved into their respective dorms. These days they are fully dedicated to their debut, practicing constantly in addition to filming. Yesterday, while at the showcase venue, they ran into Park Ji-won, which is considered to be the most interesting thing they've encountered recently.
“I don’t know, maybe we should check out the seniors' showcase,” Sun Caixing said, peeling an orange she had taken out of the refrigerator and popping a piece into her mouth. She blinked her big eyes and speculated.
Of the four people who recorded yesterday, she was the fourth person, Chi Jingyuan, whom I didn't have much impression of.
"It shouldn't be, Park Jin-young pdni obviously went there specifically to wait for him. It feels like they were about to talk about something."
林娜璉 stroked her chin and analyzed for a while, thought for a few seconds anyway, it didn't matter so she gave up, too lazy to delve deeper. At this time, the scene of Ji Jingyuan taking off his mask and looking at each other yesterday seemed to appear before her eyes. She raised her eyes and her pupils rolled upwards, smacked her lips and said with a dreamy expression: "Aiya, idols are really different. I've met Ji Jingyuan several times, and every time I'm stunned by his handsome face... If Ding Yan knew, she would definitely be envious."
"Who, Ji Jingyuan EXO's yuan Did you meet him when you were recording yesterday" Song Min-young, sitting next to her, was eating an orange and perked up at the mention of it, looking at Lim Na-yeon with a bit of surprise.
"Pooki also asked, "Jung Yeon unni Does she know Yuan"
Minami sat on the edge of the sofa, holding a pillow. She had been lost in thought, but when she heard Kei's name, her attention turned. However, her expression and movements remained unchanged. She still sat quietly, staring at the patterns on the pillow without saying a word.
She has only been with the company for a short time, and her status as an overseas trainee and her not-so-fluent language make it difficult for her to get along well with locals and senior trainees. There are also twists and turns, or female conflicts and disputes that exist, so far, Nan's circle of friends is still very small, limited to a few people from Neon. She can be said to not be very close to other female trainees and rarely communicates with them on a regular basis.
It's a pity that Kozaki Sashina didn't perform well and was assigned to the "low-performing group," while her teammate, Taeko Hirai, is taking a shower right now. When both friends are away, Minami Namiki's personality takes over, and she usually just daydreams or listens quietly without speaking up proactively.
And on the side, Kim Da-hyun was also sitting quietly listening, but she looked quite interested too.
"De Yeon and Yuan I'd say we know each other. Her unnie and Ji Kyungwon were good friends before, so she likes XO a lot too."
As the eldest sister and the company's most treasured trainee, Lim Na Yeon naturally became the center of attention. With a playful smile, she explained: "During the time when Yuan and Suzy collaborated, they often came to our company, and we met several times. I felt that their personalities were actually quite good, and they even cheered us on when they saw us. Minying, do you remember Back then, 6ix went backstage and saw them."
He also said that you were a face-saving measure.
"Is that so Eh, hehehe..." Mentioning this made Lim Na-yeon couldn't help but be happy, grinning with a pair of rabbit teeth very noticeable.
"By the way, xo isn't making a comeback again, the audio source and v will be released at midnight, do you want to watch"
Well, I have nothing better to do anyway, so let's take a look.
"I remember their main song this time was supposed to be a ballad, I'm quite looking forward to it."
"Oh, but I prefer dance music more."
…………
Jin Zhicheng opened the webpage and saw that the video "sprgday (Spring)" had been uploaded to s's official account. He clicked twice but there was no response. The suddenly lagging webpage made him frown.
As an ordinary office worker, 26-year-old Jin Zhicheng usually had no interest in boy bands. Even when he got enthusiastic, he would only briefly follow some popular girl groups at the moment.
> Last month, EXO's name was constantly appearing on the hot searches of many entertainment sections on the peninsula. Some music sources and K-pop forums were also full of posts discussing them. Due to the popularity of "Call Baby," their once vibrant energy has revived, becoming ubiquitous. Aeri, who is loved by everyone everywhere, is relentlessly recommending her idols, making Jin Seong wonder if he can even avoid it.
This made him, who wasn't particularly fond of boy bands to begin with, even more disgusted with the group EXO. However, despite his dislike, he found himself unconsciously starting to occasionally pay attention to them.
Today I got off work early, and after dinner, I've been browsing the internet. He just saw online that there are some idiotic EXO fans desperately promoting that their second single album "x" was released at midnight with music videos and audio sources. They said the music video for the title track "Spring Day" is amazing and incredibly touching, all kinds of nauseating rainbow praise.
Seeing this, Jin ZhiCheng naturally sneered a few times with disdain. However, he happened to be bored and had nothing to do at the moment, so he clicked on it to take a look.
The other day, he also saw the debate about EXO's comeback title song being a ballad. Although he didn't participate, he actually really likes ballads.
However, he looked down on male idol groups singing ballads from the bottom of his heart. Even though EXO had released quite a few ballads before, there was no change. This prejudice was deeply rooted and difficult to change.
After waiting for a few seconds, the page finally refreshed. Jin Zicheng's gaze lingered on the "Lyrics and Composition" section of the song introduction for two seconds. When he saw that all the names listed above and below were the same person, he visibly paused, blinked his eyes, and then clicked play, listening with a discerning ear.
As the progress bar filled up, 《Chun Hua》's v officially began playing.
"Suicide"
The very first shot startled him. He saw Bian Berhyen kneeling on the snow-covered tracks, his head pressed against the ground, motionless. It made one worry that a speeding train would hit him the next second. Jin ZhiCheng was deeply surprised and thought the other party might be attempting suicide by lying on the tracks.
But soon, as the camera switched and a gradually rising soundtrack went from distant to profoundly stirring, growing louder and louder, he let go of his absurd feeling and started paying close attention.
You know, this intro is actually pretty catchy.
I miss you.
After I said it out loud, I missed you even more.
Looking at your photos, I also can't help but feel homesick.
"Time is too ruthless, hating our two words."
"Now, even seeing each other has become a luxury."
With strands of fine, flowing, slightly textured black hair and wearing a striped turtleneck sweater, Ji Jingyuan sat silently by the train window, watching the scenery outside as if lost in thought. The lyrics began to softly flow from his lips, accompanying the changing panorama.
Accompanied by a melody with a rhythmic quality, yet clearly imbued with a sense of loss and sadness, along with the various suggestive imagery and camera shots within the video, Kim Ji-cheng quickly grasped the message and emotions that the song was trying to convey.
A solitary boy stands at the deserted snow-covered station, waiting for something.
The rumbling train sped along the seemingly endless tracks, yet its sole passenger, the man seated by the window, remained silent. He simply stared out into the passing scenery.
Is he worried that the person he's waiting for is also on the Snow Country train, rushing to meet him Will his solitude lead to a final reunion
No one knows.
The transformed scene and the unassuming colors reflected in Jin Zhicheng's eyes, brewing a complex array of emotions.
Is this about missing friends, or telling us about your youth
Holding your hand, walking to the other side of the Earth.
"Looking forward to the winter ending soon."
"Thoughts are like snow, how long will they keep falling"
"Won't spring arrive"
"friend."
As the main verse unfolds, a variety of scenes and shots constantly cut back and forth, exo's members appear one by one in sight.
The boy put on a birthday hat, sitting on the train representing youth and adulthood, moving forward. His eyes seemed to show the beautiful scenes of friends gathering for his birthday celebration. However, his furrowed brows proved that he was only in an illusion, full of confusion and helplessness.
The staircase going up seems endless, as if it could never end. Life is much the same. Many people gradually drift away without us noticing, and eventually we lose sight of them.
...But when the lyrics reached “Hope winter ends,” the two figures in the v-screen brushed past each other with effort, as if fate had orchestrated a cruel and ironic twist.
"Snowflakes are falling, drifting away one by one."
I miss you.
I miss you.
I miss you.
"How much longer do I have to wait, how many more nights do I have to endure"
"How could we have met otherwise"
"Otherwise, how could we have met"
The chorus uses repeated lyrics to continuously amplify feelings of longing and sadness. Even with the keyboard and bass joining in, raising the melody's tone somewhat, it doesn't diminish the overall melancholy atmosphere. Instead, the shifting visuals within the video only enhance this feeling further.
Although the music and singing are somewhat passionate, why does it feel sad when it lingers in your ears
"It's you who has changed."
"Have I changed"
"I hate this moment, hate the passage of time."
"We've definitely changed, but so has everyone else."
The rhythmic yet powerful rap, displayed continuously in the dynamic accompaniment, showcases the lyrical prowess of the artists. During the rapping segment, the voices of Ji Jingyuan and Park Chan-wook appear sequentially, imbued with emotion that carries a hint of complaint. The fast and sharp rap, coupled with the increasingly dim lights and the growing sense of confusion in the video, pulls the viewer deeper into this captivating yet enigmatic atmosphere.
After a long series of rap sections ended, the last chorus section quickly began. And at this moment, the scene and tone in v also began to change imperceptibly.
A young man named Chi Jingyuan constantly crosses different locations and time spaces in the lens. The romantic camera switching looks somewhat beautiful, but inside it sadly reveals that he can no longer tell if he is living in reality or a fantasy.
Not until the very last moment did he see the friends who were beside him. A few of them looked at each other, gathered their courage, and ran forward.
Just the next second, Chi Jingyuan who was sitting by the window and gazing out at the scenery on the train suddenly woke up. A super close-up shot appeared, facing him directly, and at this moment everything returned to reality. It turned out that everything was just his reminiscence and fantasy. Those beautiful and pure moments seemed to not exist at all, and he was still alone.
"You know it all."
"You are my best friend."
But his expression held no sorrow, or perhaps the line between truth and falsehood no longer mattered. For he seemed to truly see his long-lost friend, and the lost youthfulness cast aside by time.
The train of youth and growth travels across the endless expanse of ice and snow. It seems slow and endless, making one feel hopeless. But as long as you believe and persevere, the next stop might just be the sunshine of spring!
In the frame, P.O's eyes open once more as he scans his surroundings. The camera pulls back slowly, revealing the other eight EXO members one by one. They are dressed in various colors, some silent and still, others resting with their eyes closed, while a few pull the curtains to gaze out the window.
Even without a word spoken, the moment they appeared, the entire scene seemed to brighten, as if infused with a new vibrancy. The chill of the snowy day seemed to dissipate almost imperceptibly.
Before, the carriage was empty and cold, but now it feels incredibly warm and peaceful. It's a place you don't want to leave.
Originally, the train of youth never stops at any station, nor does it wait specifically for anyone. However, looking back, it doesn't seem to have caused too much sadness.
Because of stumbles and falls, when looking back, you have always been there.
Every morning will come.
The cherry blossoms are about to bloom.
"Winter is about to come to an end."
When the train pulled into the station, EXO's nine members quickly rushed off the train. The footage specifically captured for this moment, after editing and rendering, was perfectly presented to everyone.
After a long, cold night and through heavy snowfall, the warmth and gentleness of sunshine finally arrived. In the boundless wilderness, nine figures strolled slowly, each step taking them towards the direction where the sun shone.
"wu~wooo~~"
"wu~wooo~~"
At this moment, the awe-inspiring and moving chorus rises, each utterance seeming to strike the hearts that have already begun to tremble, bringing forth a profound and enduring resonance.
The camera also slowly rises, transitioning from a low angle to a bird's-eye view. The figures of nine boys become increasingly smaller in the frame. However, as they walk step by step towards the warm sunshine after the storm, their journey appears so beautiful. All the previous sadness, loneliness, sorrow and confusion seem to dissolve at this moment. The complex emotions that have been brewing in my heart also unconsciously elevate and blossom with brilliance.
At this moment, whether it's sadness or joy, there's no need to dwell on it any longer.
Only with you, only with you, walking together until the arrival of spring.
And this seems to mirror the last line of the lyrics:
"Until the cold winter month of December."
"When spring is in full bloom."
"When the flowers are in full bloom."
"Just wait for me there."
"Wait for me there."
Korean Peninsula Asteroid
First published on the Traditional Chinese Novel Networkit remains uncertain if they will continue to perform as a full group in the future.Beyond the overall decline of second-generation groups, there are slowly gaining market share and surging in popular...