Chapter 102
Myeongjeon left the café in a hurry, saying he needed to write a song, and headed home. The kids seemed a little flustered, but there was nothing to be done. Inspiration had to be seized when it came.
The structure of the song. We should divide it into a first half and a second half, to begin with. We should make it fairly long, too. At seven or eight minutes, it might not be suitable for broadcast.
But the judging would be done entirely by the audience, experts, and mentors at the venue. Even if it did not make for a good broadcast, that would not matter as long as it could draw a reaction from the people there.
‘Overall, it’ll be a song infused with anger. In other words, Sound and fury…’
The emotion dominating both halves would be anger. Resignation at first, followed by anger. A melody embodying resignation in the first half, and a melody embodying anger in the second.
The guitar and piano would drive it forward. He could use drums and bass, but that would make the song too forceful. The piano would be played with an effect that made it sound as though it were coming from far, far away, creating a psychedelic feeling, while the guitar would lead the melody directly.
He would insert a classical-guitar solo in the middle. That would give temporary expression to the emotions, so the audience would not grow frustrated, while automatically building anticipation for the second half.
The second half would end with an electric-guitar solo. The struggle of those who had nothing. It would be good to add some sound effects for that, too. Maybe a chorus would be better—to embody the voices of angry people. Some might find it uncomfortable, but rock from that era had always been somewhat left-wing music, so there was nothing to be done.
And the ending would become lonely as they remembered the people who had withered away. Mixing in a blues feeling might work, too.
‘We’ll need two vocalists.’
Iseo seemed best suited for the lead vocals. Her firm, low voice would be appropriate for expressing the angry energy contained in the song. Myeongjeon himself would fill in the high register that Iseo could not express.
As he finished outlining the song and stretched, he heard someone knocking on the door.
“Suyeon. Dinner.”
“Yes.”
When he went out, dinner had already been set. Had he been so focused that he had not even helped his mother prepare the meal? Reflecting on his behavior, Myeongjeon sat down at the table.
“How’s the audition show going?”
“You watched it with us then.”
“The broadcast doesn’t show everything that happens behind the scenes.”
At Hyein’s words, Myeongjeon had no choice but to nod. Of the countless things that happened behind the cameras, only a small portion were selected and broadcast by the PD. There was no way to know what had happened in between. Myeongjeon had always distrusted television, but after going through this audition, he had come to distrust it even more.
“Well, nothing major… Specifically, nothing like it affecting my physical or mental health has happened.”
“Mm-hm.”
“About that thing I mentioned before, the matter from back then…” Myeongjeon was always careful when bringing this up with his mother. It was one of the things that had hurt her most. “I think we should contact them in advance. We might have to do an interview. Anyway, we don’t know when or how things will unfold.”
At Myeongjeon’s words, Hyein fell silent for a moment. It was not a subject she particularly wanted to discuss. But avoiding it would not solve anything.
“Okay. I’ll ask them to come by sometime… Is there anything else?”
“I don’t know. Other than that… The kids keep bullying me?”
“What?”
In response to Hyein’s astonished question, Myeongjeon answered without thinking. The kids kept treating him like some kind of toy. They teased him, tickled him, kept asking him to go places with them, and so on.
“No, everyone does that.”
“I mean, it’s a bit much. They keep grabbing me and trying to make me do things, like elementary-school kids who still play with dolls…”
Hyein snickered at her daughter’s complaints. At least it was a relief that she seemed to be having fun. Meanwhile, without realizing it, she had puffed out her cheeks like a pufferfish and was complaining endlessly.
* * *
After playing them the completed song, Myeongjeon revised the FX and piano parts somewhat at Hyuna’s suggestion.
“I think the FX and things like the chorus need to be richer. During the vocal sections, it might be better for the piano to play arpeggios in the background, too.”
Iseo complained that the bass part felt a little like a ‘root-note shuttle,’ but there was nothing to be done. This was not the kind of song in which the bass got to shine. Seoha merely said things like, “I can add the fills however I want, right?”
After that, it was practice, and more practice.
There was not much worth noting. Even Iseo, who used to get nagged every day, had now reached a certain level of proficiency… Besides, none of the parts was particularly difficult. Only Hyuna’s hands were busy, since she had to stack and play the synthesizer and keyboard parts.
“The FX just now came out wrong.”
“Ack! I’m sorry!”
The sound effect was similar, but gave off a slightly different feeling. Even though they had reduced the number of effects to suit the stage, she still had several pieces of equipment in front of her, including a laptop, so it was understandable that she got confused.
“Why do you only scold me, while you just point it out and leave Hyunbin alone?”
‘Hyunbin’ was a nickname Iseo had given Hyuna. Apparently, it was Hyuna plus Seibin, with -nim added to Hyunbin. Myeongjeon thought it was a bizarre way to come up with a nickname, but these days it might still be better than the nickname “Ha Yeonsu,” which had spread throughout the entire school to the point that even the teachers said things like, “Ha Yeonsu! Don’t fall asleep!”
“Because you make mistakes every day.”
“It’s not every day.”
“At that point, isn’t it every day? If you make a mistake on ninety-nine out of a hundred days, that’s every day.”
“These days, it’s only about fifty days!” Iseo shouted. But even half was excessive. Still, thank goodness she did not make mistakes during the live performance. As they were talking, the broadcast crew arrived.
“Should we put the equipment here?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
The television station’s equipment began arriving. Until then, they had filmed the ‘mentor shoot’ in the station’s practice room, but for this episode, they had come to film on location to create a ‘final showdown’ feeling. Myeongjeon could not understand what one had to do with the other, but apparently that was what the television people thought, so he let it go.
“Hello~ We look forward to working with you today.”
“Oh! I wasn’t sure, but it really is this place. This is Teacher Im Junhong’s studio, right?”
There were two mentors: Doyeon and Kim Jinseo of [Dohwaseo]. Unlike Doyeon, who simply came in and sat down, Kim Jinseo seemed to recognize something and asked a question.
“Yes, it is.”
“Oh… I think I heard something like that from Teacher Junhong before. That he was letting a genius use the studio for free.”
“What? This is free?”
At Myeongjeon’s answer, Jinseo mumbled as though he had heard something about it. Ignoring Doyeon, who was saying something strange, Jinseo opened his mouth again.
“Then, maybe? What was it… I heard before. That the genius using this place for free was connected to guitarist Seo Myeongjeon. So is that you, too?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Goodness, if we’re going by seniority, we have a truly great senior here.”
Jinseo suddenly started putting on airs and bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle. While Doyeon widened his eyes and wondered what he was doing, Myeongjeon hurriedly pulled Jinseo back up. He was already being treated like an old man; this was making things even more awkward.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Doyeon didn’t know, huh? In the guitar world, there are respected elders, people we call masters. And this Ha Suyeon student is a direct disciple of one of those masters. For example, it’s like saying she was the last student personally trained by Shin Jung-hyun.”
“Whoa. He must have been an incredible person.”
Unlike Jinseo, who was merely putting on airs, Doyeon seemed to believe it, judging by the expression on his face as though something serious had happened.
‘Why are you acting like that too…’
“See? I told you she’s not really an ordinary high school girl. She seems a little off after the accident.”
“She could have suffered brain damage, so…”
“You two, knock it off…”
With Myeongjeon flustered, Iseo and Seoha whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear. Since they were in front of other people, Myeongjeon could not even shout at them. All he could do was grit his teeth and endure their remarks.
Once things had calmed down somewhat.
“You said the 1970s… Well, I wasn’t born then, so I don’t know much about them. What about you, Jinseo?”
“Me too. It isn’t exactly a familiar period for me. I wasn’t born then, either.”
“Really?”
“I was born in the eighties, you know.”
After exchanging some light banter for the broadcast, the two mentors eventually turned their questions toward the band.
“What about you, Group Sound? Do you have any connection to the 1970s? Perhaps through your parents?”
‘There is someone in this room who lived through that era.’
“Uh, my parents were born in ’78.”
While Myeongjeon was thinking that, Seoha suddenly spoke up. Born in ’78? Good heavens. Was a child born to someone from that generation already as old as Seoha?
“While preparing this song, did you hear any stories about that period? What was it like?”
“My parents said they didn’t remember much, since they were very young then… They only said things like, ‘Those were good days~’ They didn’t say anything else.”
That was Seoha’s reply. The two mentors nodded and passed the question on to the other girls. But no one took the microphone. Doyeon smiled awkwardly and delivered the line he had prepared.
“Actually, I did some research on the 1970s.”
Doyeon laid out a number of things where they could all be seen: disco, psychedelia, hippies, and so on. There were also notes saying that the era was prosperous and abundant.
‘That’s vague…’
Myeongjeon thought that, but soon gave up. People could interpret an era differently, so perhaps it could not be helped. As he listened to Doyeon continue excitedly, saying, “The 1970s were like this~,” Myeongjeon emptied his mind. Form is not different from emptiness, and emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness, and emptiness itself is form.
“Then, let’s talk about the concept of the song. Could you explain it?”
Once the situation had been roughly sorted out, the actual filming began. Iseo took over Doyeon’s lines for the broadcast.
“We focused on the spirit of the era. The spirit of the 1970s. We borrowed from its music as well, but perhaps it would be more accurate to say we focused on the feelings of the era.”
“Oh, the spirit of the time. That sounds interesting. Could you explain it?”
Doyeon directed the question at Iseo. Iseo wore an awkward expression and handed the microphone to Myeongjeon.
“I think the 1970s were a fairly turbulent era. Some people say they were good times, but the impression I received was… Well, there was a great deal of uncertainty, and many things that were unjust.”
“So that’s what the period felt like? That’s a surprisingly fresh interpretation. We were thinking of something brighter and more lively. Isn’t that right, Teacher Jinseo?”
“That’s right. When I think of that period, I don’t know, it somehow brings to mind a bright atmosphere. A period of rapid growth? I don’t know much about it myself, but it feels like people were saying, ‘Let’s eat well and live well!’”
The two men and women laughed. Without realizing it, Myeongjeon clenched his teeth.
‘No! That era was fucking awful, I never want to go back to it, there was nothing good about it, and the music from that time was full of rage at how bleak and fucked-up reality was!’
He wanted to argue that, but being unable to do so infuriated him. After all, which was closer to the 1970s: “Ha Suyeon’s” age or theirs? And if he said something like that, what kind of ammunition would he give the two people currently circling him like hyenas to tease him with?
‘Is this what people call “getting triggered” these days?’
“From what we researched, the 1970s don’t seem to have been all that bright. Punk culture also emerged during that period. The economic and political circumstances were difficult, too…”
Myeongjeon thought that and spoke to the two mentors, doing his best not to let his feelings show. In any case, they had to film enough material for the broadcast.
* * *
Ayoon stood in the admission line, tense from head to toe. Unlike before, it was now difficult to find a single audience member who was not carrying someone’s merchandise. Some of it was Group Sound merchandise made from designs Ayoon herself had drawn. Since it was unofficial, she produced things such as button pins, stickers, key rings, and badges while charging only enough to cover the material costs.
She had thought the official side might release merchandise, but Group Sound did not have anything resembling an official organization in the first place, so there was no one to consult. The label was not a place that made that sort of thing, either. The only people producing anything like Group Sound merchandise were Paradox. Even they only sold things like T-shirts bearing the Group Sound logo.
‘We need to do something about a fan club, too.’
This audition show had been full of controversy and problems. But it was impossible to deny that the program had helped Group Sound’s popularity. The unofficial fan club Ayoon had created was the clearest proof of that.
The small fan club Ayoon had been running by herself had grown so much that people were now talking about electing a president and making it official. That was how big it had become: physical CDs and limited-edition LPs were perpetually marked [SOLD OUT], even though they printed more whenever they had the capacity.
“Did you check when our kids are coming on today?”
“Wait… They aren’t listed separately in the pamphlet. Group Sound… Group Sound… Nope, they’re not here.”
Moved by the fact that some people now even called them ‘our kids,’ Ayoon squeezed into a seat in the audience. The seats were already packed. The audience was filled with anticipation.
“Hello, everyone! Whether this is your first time seeing us, you’re seeing us again, or it’s been a while, welcome. Before anyone can say this is boring, let’s get straight to the point!”
The audience burst out laughing. The MC grinned and continued.
“The theme of today’s competition is, as displayed on the screen right now… one-on-one battles by year! Each of the six bands will compete against another band under a designated period—the same year—as its theme.”
Typography appeared on the screen behind the MC.
“Today’s first performance is… Group Sound and Mystica! The theme of their battle is… the 1970s!”
‘From the very beginning?’
Anyone who had kept watching the audition would have known that Mystica was an exceptionally skilled band. And now Group Sound was going to face Mystica head-on?
“Amazing. Isn’t this first place versus second place?”
“One of them is going home. Is this a preview of the finals?”
As she heard the people around her whispering, Ayoon looked up at the stage. Mystica was the first to come up.