Siblings Work in Business (133)
The CEO released articles and promotional material, but unlike his expectations, the news about “Hot Afternoon” didn’t spread widely.
Even our E% were complaining about the lack of promotional articles, blaming the CEO.
TaKa Entertainment was blocking the articles.
TaKa was an agency that relied heavily on Toxin.
But as a large agency, their influence in the industry was still significant, something NRY, a rookie agency, couldn’t ignore.
And TaKa Entertainment openly declared their opposition to “Hot Afternoon” promotions.
So…
With TaKa directly intervening, the reporters and broadcasting stations were all cautious.
But TaKa Entertainment should know.
That the issues they were trying to suppress were piling up and would eventually explode.
It was also related to the reason why the “Hot Afternoon” reaction live broadcast was suddenly scheduled.
「“What should we do…?”」
The day we visited the broadcasting station for the pre-recording…
We were told, as soon as we arrived, that we couldn’t perform.
Although they were very polite about it…
A few days later, we received devastating news.
On the day the pre-recording was cancelled…
Our entire schedule for three weeks after the music video release was completely cleared.
Because of that, Eun-ji and I couldn’t have the planned showcase on the broadcast.
「“A new group debuted from TaKa.”」
A new rookie idol group from TaKa Entertainment filled our spot.
From the description, it seemed like a male-female duo where the man sang the high notes and the woman sang the low notes, just like Eun-ji and I.
There was already another sibling duo, the Sibling Musicians, besides us.
But B&C’s image was clearly designed to target us.
B&C, short for ‘Brother and Sister.’
Despite their name, they looked like complete strangers.
“Hot Afternoon” was an R&B ballad about a breakup on a ‘bright’ afternoon, longing for rain.
B&C’s song, released three days earlier than ours, was a dance track.
It was about being the ‘rain’ that soothed the tears of someone who had a breakup on a ‘bright’ day.
There were so many things that bothered me, but I couldn’t say anything.
This was a sensitive issue in the industry, something we had to be careful about.
And B&C’s song was released first.
So, we were the ones who seemed like copycats.
My mouth felt dry, the unpleasantness making me thirsty.
That was, until I saw B&C’s performance.
The sun is hot, hot, hot
The sun is high, my mood is high, high
Not cry, cry, crying
Ruined, my hurt
Heart, hurt, hurt
I sing, sing for you
Heals you
B&C’s performance was a mess; their lip-syncing was off, and their choreography was awkward, their eyes darting around nervously.
It was a terrible performance for a group from TaKa Entertainment, a top agency, home to Toxin.
CEO Park, watching B&C, chuckled and muttered,
“This hyung is so obsessed with the ‘sibling’ concept that he’s making mistakes from the start. Tsk, tsk.”
“Why?”
Eun-ho, seizing the opportunity, asked.
“I suggested you two form a team because you’re both talented.”
“But you always tell us to work harder.”
“I meant to improve as professionals.”
“Ah.”
“They haven’t even reached the professional level yet, and he debuted them.”
It was easy to understand.
“This is a business where people become products… debuting someone so unprepared is setting them up for failure, what did those kids do to deserve this? And it makes the company and everyone else look bad…”
└ The girl seems to be doing all the singing, what’s the guy even doing?
└ A ritual.
└ Lol seriously lol
└ Even their lip-syncing is off, isn’t that a bit too much?
└ I feel bad for B&C.
└ Seriously.
└ It’s TaKa’s fault, not B&C’s.
└ That’s right. They’re clearly being used as scapegoats.
└ This is why they debuted them even though they’re so bad, they’re just blinded by money.
CEO Park’s prediction about the online community’s reaction was spot on.
“The girl could be successful as a soloist if she relaxed a bit and worked on her stage presence… what a waste.”
Eun-ho looked at the female member at CEO Park’s comment. Her basic skills were solid; she must have trained for a long time.
“Tsk, tsk, that hyung, sometimes he’s so blinded by greed that he kills the goose that lays the golden eggs.”
“What about the guy?”
“He’s not ready. He needs at least two more years of training.”
The male member, his vocals entirely overshadowed by the female member, seemed to be focusing on ad-libs, despite his lacking skills. It was such a mess that Eun-ho wondered if they had even rehearsed.
“Eun-ho, you used to be just like him. Especially with the unnecessary ad-libs. Exactly the same.”
Eun-ho, still shocked by the comparison, asked,
“Am I… still like that?”
“What? No.”
CEO Park waved his hand dismissively and said,
“I said you used to be. Not anymore.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. Was it when you went to record Ye-chan’s song? I don’t know when it started, but since then, you’ve been a professional. A very good one, too.”
CEO Park pointed at the air with his index finger.
‘When I recorded Ye-chan’s song…’
That was his first recording after the regression.
Which meant, his skills were that bad around this time in the past.
‘I shouldn’t have been so jealous of Eun-ji’s debut.’
I was so arrogant back then.
It was a moment that made him realize the importance of practice and good teachers.
“And the CEO of TaKa has always been like that.”
“Always?”
“He’s blinded by money and misses the important things. I told him to fix that habit before he ruined his company, but tsk, tsk, judging by those kids, it seems like their director left too…”
“Ah.”
“He always tries to use his popular groups to promote his rookies, if he just stopped doing that, he’d receive half as much hate.”
CEO Park’s second prediction was also spot on.
「B&C, TaKa’s most anticipated rookies, from the agency of the iconic Toxin」
TaKa seemed to have mentioned Toxin for promotional purposes, but…
…it backfired, dragging Toxin’s name through the mud, adding fuel to the already negative public opinion about TaKa.
└ Seriously, most anticipated is right.
└ Toxin’s agency? TaKa, where’s your conscience?
└ What did they even do for Toxin’s success? It was all Team Leader Park Chang-seok. They haven’t released any albums since he left.
└ Stop making your idols film commercials and have them release a damn song! They haven’t had a comeback in years. People think Toxin has disbanded!
└ No, it’s better that TaKa’s not releasing anything.
└ Honestly, it’s better this way. Change agencies and then come back, please. I’ll be waiting.
└ They said Tae-hyun asked for a comeback, but he was ignored lol
It’s not that they were ignored, TaKa just couldn’t handle Toxin’s talent.
└ That’s true lol
└ The leader of Toxin has his own agency, right?
└ Yeah.
└ Wow, when I saw the articles about Toxin’s contract renewal, I wasn’t interested because I’m not their fan, but after seeing B&C, I really hope they leave TaKa, whether it’s the leader’s agency or Park something’s.
└ Please escape TaKa.
└ B&C: Run… away….
└ TaKa, get your act together or let Toxin go.
└ They suffered because of their agency before, and now they’re suffering again.
└ The choreography is good, though.
There were a few comments praising B&C, likely paid comments. But they were quickly drowned out by a wave of mockery, with more likes and replies.
└ The choreography? More like a choreo-graphy (choreography of cancer)
└ Seriously lol
TaKa, unable to handle the backlash, deleted the article, but the captured images continued to spread. CEO Park, watching the drama unfold, calmly made a decision.
‘Let it go,’ he thought. This wasn’t their main focus.
“Hot Afternoon” was bait, and it had served its purpose.
In fact, this was better; their next song could be released sooner without having to worry about TaKa.
Thanks to their ‘monster’ composer, Eun-ji, they had plenty of material.
Still, it felt like a waste to not promote the song with a music video, so he proposed the reaction video as an alternative.
Eun-ho objected, but the live broadcast, although chaotic, had a positive response.
CEO Park believed that was their charm, and it was his job to manage it.
Although he was a bit annoyed by the canceled “Hot Afternoon” promotions, it was okay.
They still had other cards to play.
Even if all their plans failed, Eun-ji and Eun-ho wouldn’t stop making music.
They would keep going, even if he told them to stop.
Originally, Ye-chan was supposed to participate in “Hot Afternoon.”
But he was busy with arranging, if he remembered correctly.
He had suggested he wanted to participate in Eun-ji’s song, and Eun-ji, in turn, offered him “Sunset” instead of “Hot Afternoon.”
「“Good thing you separated them. I’m fine with anything as long as it works out well. Use it. Use everything.”」
Had he said that, anticipating this situation…?
「“A cornered rat can bite a cat.”」
Ye-chan, hearing about the “Hot Afternoon” situation, gave that cryptic advice.
When I was young…
…there was an old, bulky TV at the bakery.
While I was helping the bakery owner, Eun-ji would often watch cartoons in the back room, where the TV was. One of them was about a cat trying to catch a mouse.
And there was an episode…
…where a mouse, trying to get food for its child, targeted the cat’s food.
The mouse fought and won, taking everything the cat had.
Ye-chan’s advice reminded me of that episode.
I was… ambivalent.
I wasn’t particularly ambitious, but I didn’t want to fail.
I didn’t want to be at the top of the pyramid myself, but I wanted my sister, and my benefactors, to be there.
So, who was the ‘mouse’ Ye-chan was talking about?
TaKa Entertainment?
NRY Entertainment?
…Me?