Chapter Thirty-One: You Can Still Sit Down

hungry dragon'."Welcome our 'hungry dragons, hungry dragons', EXO-K!A few people recited the opening remarks with dramatic pauses, and the background music of "Rage" started playing. They shouted loud...Yesterday morning, at the meeting room of JYP Building, Park Jin-young was listening to a report from his assistant, along with the heads of the promotion and public relations departments, about the preparation work for the program "sixteen".

But at this moment, the atmosphere in the conference room was noticeably heavy. It was so silent that you could almost hear the faint breaths being drawn. Suddenly, a wooden chair creaked, presumably due to wear and tear, emitting a sharp 'creak'. At this moment, the sound seemed incredibly loud and jarring.

After a moment of silence, an assistant glanced at Park Jin-young's face and, holding a document, continued;

"On the advertising side, prices are not yet fully settled. Although JYP's reputation and brand have some leverage in negotiations, some ad brands seem less confident in the "Sixteen" program right now. The currently agreed-upon price is significantly lower than our expectations."

"Currently, the promotion of the program lacks direction and plans. Both pre-broadcast hype and post-broadcast promotion are facing difficulties due to resource constraints, leading some promotional initiatives to hit a snag."

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When Park Jung-hyuk heard this, he nodded. His face, which usually looked full of joy, seemed to carry an inherent majesty when serious, and when angry, his presence was very imposing. At this time, it seemed that the surrounding air pressure had dropped a lot.

The past two years have truly been a low point for JYP Entertainment. Last year, at the beginning of the year, they put all their effort into debuting the boy group GOT7, but it's safe to say that their performance has been lukewarm at best. They are far from achieving the continuous comeback and becoming a top-tier male group as initially predicted, which would have brought in revenue and boosted the company's stock price. It’s already been over a year since their debut, and they haven't even achieved a single music show win.

And in order to replenish their funds quickly, GOT7 was sent to Japan for their debut shortly after their debut and toured the country. Fortunately, the response was quite good.

In recent two years, JYP's revenue has mainly relied on the income from 2P tours, and the personal resources and advertising cases of Suzy Bae, as well as the revenue generated by their own singing creations.

Now JYP's stock price has been falling for years, nearly reaching the bottom. Compared to 2013, it has plummeted by nearly 23%, leaving it at less than 5,000 Korean won. The price of a large Starbucks Frappuccino is around 7,000 Korean won, so in comparison, JYP has been ridiculed online with comments like "It's worth less than a Frappuccino" and "At least you can drink it."

Compared to JYP's stock price and S and YG, it's not just about lagging behind, they can't even see the tires tracks of those companies. The so-called "Top Three Entertainment Companies" in the K-pop industry are almost just a title left.

As the president and major shareholder, Park Jin-young actually faces tremendous pressure as well. Although he successfully regained control of the company last year through the merger of Headquarters One and Two and went public, the company's continuous decline has not only affected him but also angered the shareholders who are voicing strong dissent.

Therefore, JYP urgently needs to expand new revenue channels in other areas, that is, as an entertainment company's core business, to launch new artists.

A while ago, JYP's main focus was on promoting G-Soul, a rookie who the company had high hopes for. They even established a separate subsidiary for him. He was dubbed a "genius," a "15-year trainee," someone who "began composing music for G.O.D in his teens," and who had "studied abroad in America for nine years." He had already caused a stir and garnered widespread attention before even debuting. The company heavily promoted him, and all the artists under the company publicly voiced their support for him as this "super rookie."

All those titles sound really intimidating, making you think another ra or gd is about to appear.

It's a pity that after g-soul officially debuted solo on January 19th, the response to her self-composed mini album "e" has been somewhat underwhelming.

After the failure of the solo artist debut, this year in JYP's project, only the male band DAY6, scheduled to be launched in the second half of the year, and the new girl group selected from "Sixteen" are left.

Compared to the former, Park Jin-young, who has rich experience in girl group operation with successful launches of TWICE and ITZY, places more emphasis on the latter. He participated in all preparations for "SIXTEEN" from start to finish, even appearing as both host and judge, taking part in every aspect of the project.

Moreover, also encompasses almost all of the eligible and talented female trainees that JYP has accumulated over the years. Under these circumstances for the company, it can be considered a gamble of their last hope.

Actually, the overall structure of this new girl group, which members will debut and which won't, is already mapped out by both Park Jin-young himself and within the company. The reason they are still holding a grand survival audition show is that it serves to increase the awareness and popularity of the new girl group as much as possible, ensuring the success of this new girl group project.

It's a pity that up to now, both the advertising contacts and promotional work have not been going smoothly. The market lacks confidence in JYP.

Let's communicate further.

Park Jin-young also knew the current predicament and didn't blame anyone too much. He nodded to show he understood, paused for a few seconds, then asked: "Do you have any other good suggestions for promotion"

It seemed like he had a plan all along. The head of the publicity department glanced at the document in his hand, signaled to those around him, and then began to speak:

"Currently, the main issue with the program is that it lacks sufficient buzz and highlights. Since there's no official feedback from the market yet due to the lack of broadcasting, we need to focus on discovering elements within the program itself that can boost its popularity and spark discussions."

"I think we can consider the guests from the perspective of invitations. There is a segment in the plan called "sixteen" members solopk, and we are preparing to invite guests as judges to give comments. We believe that we can invite some popular and eye-catching guests here to increase the exposure and popularity of the program in its early stages."

Although the recording has just begun, the process and questions for the first few episodes weren't improvised on the spot. In fact, the company had already planned the entire project long ago.

This segment of the show was originally planned to have two guests, a male and a female, as judges. The male guest was supposed to be rapper Sane, who had previously been signed to JYP and maintains a good relationship with the company. The female guest was supposed to be Son Ga-in, who has worked with Park Jin-young before and has a good relationship with him.

They are all within our reach and are relatively popular and well-known celebrity guests.

"Who are you inviting" Park Jin-young asked directly.

“According to our comparison and selection, EXO's Yuan is very suitable. He is the hottest male idol at present. With EXO's successful comeback this time, whether it's the stickiness of fans or the degree of discussion, he is unmatched among male idols. And he doesn't often appear in similar programs. We believe that if he takes on the role of a guest for the program, he will bring considerable attention and discussion to 'Sixteen' right from the start.” Without any hesitation, the team leader directly expressed their department's opinion.”

"Yuan He's definitely popular, but EXO has only been around for 3 years, right He's still a bit young, isn't he He's only a year or two older than the trainees on the show. Isn't that a little inappropriate"

"He is an idol himself, so his vision and considerations are limited. It feels inappropriate for him to be a judge." Hearing this name, someone immediately voiced their opposition.

Maybe we can change our approach a bit. We already have some members who are almost certain to debut. Actually, the judges' opinions don't matter that much, or at least not for just one episode. After all, it's just a reference. What Sixteen needs most right now is predictable attention.

Can you find an idol hotter than Ji Chang Wook Plus, he's not just an idol anymore; he's also a composer and actor. And as we all know, he was one of the producers for EXO's comeback album this time around. He definitely qualifies on that front.

The room manager rebutted his colleagues' opinions with some excitement, explaining things clearly and logically. In the end, he added specifically: "Or maybe we could just cancel the original plan for the female guests and have Suzy stand in instead. The two of them in 'So' last year were such a hit; having them both as guests would definitely draw a lot of attention."

The speech and analysis seemed to have moved Park Jin-young and the other staff present, for a moment of silence fell over the room as they all contemplated the feasibility of the suggestion.

"EXO is so popular now, it wouldn't be easy to invite them, would it Do you think S would agree to him coming to our side" After a while, someone quietly raised a question.

"As for Jingyuan, I understand him pretty well. Although he might not voice his opinions often, he still has a say in his personal schedule..."

Speaking of this, Park Jin-young lightly tapped the table and waved his hand to indicate that it wasn't a big issue: "Since last year when yuansuzy was temporarily formed, we have had many project collaborations with s side. As long as he agrees, this is actually easy to do."

"...

" Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

After saying that, he seemed a bit hesitant. Park Jin-young pondered for a few seconds before looking up at the company's department heads: "Let's think about it some more, see if there are any other suggestions or ideas... If we formally decide, I'll give him a call, or perhaps it would be better to contact him through personal connections. By chance, there's an ISSA showcase next week that Ji-ah will also be attending. If we confirm, I'll invite him to meet me that day and have a chat..."

…………

"Is it Issa's showcase... on the 30th"

"A talent show Well... alright, bro, I understand. Since you called personally, how could I say I'm busy"

"Hee hee hee, exo is busy but I bet you're even busier..."

"Okay, let's talk when we meet then."

Qi Jingyuan smiled and said, "That's it," before hanging up the phone. After a while, the smile faded from his face and he smacked his lips with a playful smirk.

Park Jin-young said on the phone that he invited him to see an Issa comeback showcase in a few days and said they would meet afterwards to chat. It's about a new audition program JYP is preparing recently.

Talking about this audition show, Pool Jingyuan had heard it so many times from Zhou Tzuyu these past few days that it was like thunder in his ears. He just chatted about the topic on the car ride, and now he's unexpectedly connected to this thing himself.

The Korean entertainment industry is indeed quite small.

Chi Jingyuan glanced at the date. It was the 23rd, and there was still a week left.

After a brief moment of thought, he put his phone back in his pocket and walked towards the practice room. Their personal relationship was already very good, and since Park Jin-young, the president himself, had personally called to invite him, it would be disrespectful not to go. Although EXO should be busy preparing for their comeback on the 30th, they would definitely be able to spare a few hours.

And...

To be honest, Pool Jingyuan himself is actually quite interested in Zhou Tzuyu's show...

…………

"I feel like the refrigerator in our new apartment is a little small. You can barely fit anything when you open it. Brother, maybe you could apply to the company for a bigger one"

“I also think that every time I open it, it’s full to the brim, which is really inconvenient.”

"Didn't we already settle the last quarter of last year Can't we just buy it ourselves"

“Such things should definitely be paid for by the company…”

On the morning of the 24th, inside a photography studio in Mapo District, nine EXO members who had finished their styling and changed into their clothes were sitting on the sofas next to each other, watching the staff setting up the background and reflectors. They huddled together in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.

The topic centered on some of the appliances in Shinjuku's dormitory. Although the dormitory area was half larger than before and the decoration was much better, with the improvement of members' income and taste, the requirements for electrical equipment hardware have also increased significantly.

They are going to shoot a spring advertisement for Ivy uniforms later, and in order not to delay the recording of the evening singing program "Shoion", they got up early again today. However, compared to yesterday's exhaustion when they barely slept to make up for the missed shots, today was at least well-rested and they were all pretty energetic.

Listening to the members discussing beside him, Ji Jingyuan didn't know if he suddenly remembered something. His gaze swept over the nine EXO members sitting together. He counted from one to nine, sighed, and suddenly said with some emotion: "I found this school uniform ad... every time we shoot it, one person is missing."

“......”

His words instantly caught the attention of the surrounding members. They blinked and looked around, then burst into laughter after they reacted, "Hahaha, that's really something."

"Why does it sound so funny when I'm saying something so sad"

Chi Jingyuan shook his head and, thinking about the past year's experiences, he couldn't help but laugh.

Since EXO's debut, they have been endorsing Ivy uniforms, shooting both spring and autumn campaigns every year. Last year, after the spring advertisement was finished, Han left shortly after. After the autumn advertisement was completed, Tao also left.

It really feels like with every shot, someone disappears.

"So after this shoot, who do you think will leave"

Wu Shih-hsuan nodded in agreement, trying hard to hold back a laugh and asked in a low voice.

Ji Jingyuan's eyes held a smile, but his expression was very serious. He lowered his voice and analyzed to him in a serious tone: "It should be between Baekhyun and Chanyeol, those two brothers have been arguing every day because of games recently, I estimate that they will turn against each other in a few days and one of them will leave."

"Then aren't we eight people now"

"It should be seven, because there's one more time this fall."

"Hahaha…" The well-reasoned analysis made several people next to him burst into laughter, causing Bian Berxian and a few others sitting further away to glance over curiously.

Ivy's advertising EXO since their debut for three years, as the popularity of XO continues to grow, the brand has also gained a lot of market share.

However, endorsements like school uniforms are usually given to rookie groups. Although the collaboration was quite pleasant, EXO, who debuted three years ago, might not be the best fit to continue endorsing school uniforms. It's likely that both parties won't renew their contract after this year.

Speaking of which, every year for the past few years, a different female artist has collaborated with EXO to shoot this school uniform advertisement. From Kim Yoo-jung at first, to Seo Ye-ji's brief cameo appearance, to... Bae Joo-hyun, who has been continuing since last autumn until now.

Just after finishing her styling and changing into her outfit, Bae Joo-hyun walked out from the small changing room nearby, standing near them. She had completely changed from her usual style. Her energetic twin braids swayed gently in front of her shoulders, paired with thick black bangs that made her look at least five years younger. Plus, she was wearing a white button-up school uniform shirt, a navy blue sailor skirt, and student makeup, making Bae Joo-hyun, who is three years older than Ji-sung, appear like just a middle schooler.

Ji Jingyuan only glanced at the scene after sunset, but secretly felt a bit dissatisfied in his heart.

It kind of looks like she's in Taeyeon's early debut days.

Although he doesn't look like it.

Because it was a solo schedule for Park Soo-jin, only she came from Red Velvet. Her manager and assistant were also there with her. Although they are colleagues from the same company, they weren't very close at this moment. After greeting each other, they sat in their respective positions.

And while those around, particularly Park Chan-yeol who is known to be close with Bae Joo-hyun, threw knowing glances and winks at the situation, Kim Jeyoung pretended not to see them. After exchanging a brief look with her, he said nothing and quietly chatted away.

Everything will be ready soon and we'll start filming.

First is the EXO segment, with all nine members, then five, four, and down to solo shots of different member combinations. After that is a personal photoshoot for Seulgi herself.

Though it's called a spring uniform, there's not much difference from summer attire. It mainly consists of short-sleeved shirts and shorts, and also uses many props with a seaside and summer vibe, such as plastic boat anchors, surfboards, rudders, and inflatable rings.

Compared to EXO's numerous combination arrangements and various props and backgrounds, Bae Joo-hyun's individual shots seem a bit less. After all, the main focus of this new school uniform endorsement is still X.O., and the reason she was able to land this case last year was mainly due to S's strong push.

It's just like when EXO debuted and was heavily promoted for this ad, there's no difference.

"cut…"

When it came to the collaborative filming stage, four EXO members and Jennie arrived together. As the PD was filming, he suddenly shouted "cut!" He frowned and looked at the several people who had posed, then pointed with his finger: "Yuanxi, bend your legs a little, don't stand so straight."

“I see,”

Being in the center, Ji-seong immediately replied with a chuckle as he glanced at Seulgi who was standing very close to him. Hearing PD's words, Seulgi's lips twitched slightly. Following PD's instructions, she gently bent her legs, appearing shorter than before.

The meaning of "pd" is already very clear. Irene and Jiyoung standing together in flats, the height difference between them is quite striking, making the overall picture a bit disharmonious.

"

“Card…,”

" Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated!

After taking a few pictures and changing poses, pd once again called for a halt. His brows furrowed, he pointed over here as if about to give the same instructions as before, but suddenly hesitated mid-sentence. He paused for two seconds, smacked his lips, then waved his hand dismissively and simply said, "Forget it, yuan, you just sit there. Get him a box..."

"Hahaha..."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the EXO members around, whether they were filming or just watching the commotion, couldn't hold back their laughter. Those who knew the inside story, like Park Chan-yeol and a few others, clutched their stomachs and laughed hysterically, unable to contain themselves. Their eyes were filled with a strange sense of amusement, finding the whole scene between Park Ji-sung and Bae Joo-hyun very comedic.

Ji Jingyuan wanted to laugh but couldn't. He nodded slightly in response, then shook his head gently. His eyes glanced at Pei Zhuxuan, whose smile had become a little stiff, and he didn't know what to say.

PD and the surrounding staff watched the EXO members laughing a little too exaggeratedly, they were a bit puzzled, but didn't delve into it. The director told the crew to quickly move a box over and continue filming.

Ji Jingyuan could sense that Bae Joo-hyeon seemed displeased, maybe even a little angry, after the awkward scene just now. After filming ended and they said their goodbyes, she didn't make eye contact like usual, which was always part of their unspoken understanding. She simply smiled, bowed politely, and without looking at him, turned around and left with her manager.

Although he found it somewhat amusing, there was more of a sense of helplessness.

It's all the fault of those darn flats!

…………

The final score is...

"exovsredvelvet8854 against 6803."

Congratulations to EXO, who won the honor of the day on 《!》.

With the ribbon floating up, EXO defeated their own junior artist, Lai Guanlin, once again winning the trophy for March 26th's 《!c》.

As March entered its late stages, the recently returned Red Velvet officially began their quest for a first-place win on music shows.

By this week, the mythical figure who was previously competing with xo has gradually dropped out of the race, and a new contender has emerged in redvelvet.

This time, Red Velvet's comeback with the mini-album "icecreacake" can be said to have made a stunning turnaround. The difficult situation they faced last year when they debuted and were criticized by the entire internet has greatly improved. Since the release of their title track, besides charting at number one on the first day, it also achieved the sixth best ranking on the daily chart. The physical album has already sold nearly 40,000 copies, and in the girl group landscape, they have secured a place for themselves.

Although it wasn't a huge hit, it reversed the previous situation and gained a large wave of fans, showing signs of going viral. It can be said to be a successful comeback.

For Red Velvet, it might just be a matter of time before they earn their first place spot and solidify their position.

It's a pity that even though their comeback performance this time was good, and EXO's popularity in the fourth week of promotions was still evident, it's a shame that the two groups are not on the same level. The final scores were almost without suspense.

When they saw the final result, exo all felt it was normal, even without a ripple in their hearts. However, because they were on camera, they quickly put on excited and thrilled expressions.

While Red Velvet's members had anticipated the gap, discovering it to be so wide left them feeling disappointed and discouraged despite outwardly congratulating each other.

>But luckily this is already the last week for EXO's "Call Baby" promotions, and actually last week EXO already achieved a three-crown win on the three major television music shows and "Shoion".

And because one member who returned in the first week was taken by VIXX, it caused a delay of one week. However, after this episode ended, they also achieved three consecutive crowns and graduated.

This is good news for Red Velvet because after EXO finishes promoting, there won't be any strong competitors during that time period, so their chances of getting their first win increase a lot.

But the bad news is that tomorrow's "Music Bank" and the day after tomorrow's "Music Center" don't have graduation systems. Even if EXO doesn't go to the stage for promotion, they probably won't be able to beat them.

The worse news is that next week is April, and xo will be back...

Peninsula asteroid

First published on Chinese Novel Network is that he feels this sister doesn't seem to know what's wrong. Maybe she's sung too hard over the years, strained her voice too much or something. Overall, he feels her vocal cords aren't in good sh...