Chapter 58 Chapter 58

In August, upon the release of Kwon Ji-yong's debut album, "Heartbreaker," immediately took the charts by storm. In the early morning hours of its release, it swept across major platforms like Melon, and Bugs. The title song, "Heartbreaker," instantly topped the charts, setting a record for the fastest-ever number one debut by an idol solo artist. Even the album's non-title tracks cracked the top ten, making it a truly impressive feat. Critics were immediately enthralled. Some praised him for "breaking the mold of the idol singer," while others described the album as "a radical declaration of self-identity." Music publication IZM even gave it a rare all-star review, praising the album's "almost neurotic sophistication while maintaining a pop-market sensibility." Critic Kim Yoon-seok was even more blunt: "You may not like his style, but you can't ignore his influence." Among fans, the album is considered the beginning of the "GD era." Someone on a forum called him the "greatest male solo artist" in Korean history. While that might be an exaggeration, it's undeniable that he's currently the most sought-after idol in South Korea. Meanwhile, YG Entertainment released the complete series "GD TV," revealing the behind-the-scenes production of "Heartbreaker," sparking renewed discussion. "I've been waiting for this for so long!!! It's finally here!!" "Damn YG, they're such a jerk. My brother's music library could have been used to release ten albums a long time ago, hehe." "GD is simply a genius! Even though I already knew he was a genius, I still can't help but sigh in admiration!" "This kid will be popular wherever he goes. He also wrote Bigbang's trilogy that helped it reach the top." "Just think of another idol who can take charge of the creation of an entire album by himself, Oppa Sarang!!!" "His face is also finished, TT. Who understands the impact of blonde hair? Ahhhhhhh~~~~~" "Really, this is the first time I've gotten GD's face (don't scold me, I'm a fan of his music)." Of course, there were also a few questioning voices: "Did he hire a ghostwriter? It's impossible for him to write all of it by himself?" "Maybe he plagiarized it, who knows?" It didn't cause much of a stir and was quickly criticized. "You can spread rumors with just your mouth, right?" "You plagiarize, and your whole family plagiarizes too. Don't look so jealous." "Yeah, if you have the guts, go sue the Music Copyright Association. Brother has signed every song, hehe." "The lyrics and music are clearly written, so he wouldn't bother to steal." "In other words, no one noticed that this album contains a very high amount of Lia..." "...Huh??!!!" ... I don't know which sharp-eyed netizen started it, but soon, the entire production list of "Heartbreaker" was posted on the forum. “Holy shit oh shit!!!!!” “I think I’m dazzled… Is Lia Kim involved in the entire album?” “I can’t believe I still get to see my baby in my lifetime, who knows, woooo woooo TT was just passing by and wanted to listen to the music.” “A passerby just wants to ask, who is this person…” “Former YG trainee, originally a 2NE1 reserve.” “It was said before that he might be behind the scenes, I didn’t expect it to happen so soon, shocked.” “Never mind, my CP is real!!!!” “CP is real +1, I’m going to build a building!” “Why are there CP fans everywhere… I have to kowtow to them wherever I go.” “We all work together in the company, we’ll see each other every day, there’s no need to over-interpret.” “Don’t tie me up…” “What are you tying up? Lia is not making a debut.” “Are you the internet police upstairs? Go back to your fan forum, okay?” … Putting aside the voices of opposition, it wasn’t long before a CP site called “GD&LIA;” quietly went online. Among them, a post titled "GD & LIA; — GD TV Details to Learn" (published less than a week ago) has garnered nearly 10,000 likes and dislikes, far surpassing any other post. The likes are dominated by the couple's fan base, while the dislikes... also make up almost half. The main post captures every frame from "GD TV" where the two appear together. Technically, the show's star is GD, and Lia's screen time is minimal, even less than the 2NE1 members who appeared on the album's feature. But the poster's keen eye, analyzing frame by frame, has uncovered a number of sweet moments: - GD walks out of the recording studio with a sullen expression, but his expression noticeably softens upon seeing Lia; - Even though Teddy and Kush are present, GD always sits next to Lia, leaning slightly toward her; Even during the birthday party segment, where Lia's footage totals less than five seconds, the poster accurately captures the silver chain on her wrist, comparing it to the Chrome Hearts ring GD often wears, claiming they're from the same series. Most of the "sweet spots" remain subjective, and any two people in the same frame can produce similar results. But this bracelet has indeed sparked considerable discussion. "Are there any experts in the comment section who know Chrome Hearts? Can you tell me which model this is?" "Same thing." "The picture is a little blurry, I fixed it, no thanks (picture attached.jpg)." "This should be a custom model, it's not available on the market." "Isn't Chrome Hearts' custom line only for specially invited customers?" "Fuck, so attentive???" "Can brother be so serious with me too TT" "The point is, the bracelet and ring are designed as a pair, that's basically the idea..." "...Fuck, it's still the teachers who are good at shipping. My heart sank when I saw the birthday party, and I didn't see Lia at all." "Did they want to avoid suspicion? So they cut it out?" "I'm curious what gift she gave GD, it seems that the clip of them opening the gift was not released." "No, when I watched it, I felt that the only time they were in the same frame, both of them had very bad expressions (screenshot.jpg)." "You can see it from a distance, but it seems a bit weird when you say it that way..." "It doesn't matter, I think Chrome Hearts is a hammer. What young couple doesn't quarrel?" "I'm a big shipper!!!" "Are you all crazy? You're so desperate to get me a couple?" "This is a couple website... If you don't want to support them, get out! Why are you coming in here to cause trouble?" "Excuse me! Has anyone seen that post on Hearsay? The update is so disheartening TT" "What post?" "Directions: 'Hearsay | Lianhuashuo - A Collection of Recent Celebrity Love Clues - Updated'" "It's actually updated!!" ... They were referring to a recent viral post. Unlike the self-contained ecosystem of couple websites, the Hearsay section, with its broad scope and diverse community, attracts even casual fans who aren't fans. This post quickly garnered significant attention. It involved three popular artists, and while the content was unverified, the author's writing was compelling and has remained highly popular. Perhaps anticipating the original post's popularity, the author didn't create a new thread, but instead updated it directly under the original. The update wasn't actually very long, but it was incredibly convincing: Received news from someone in the industry (with photos) confirming GD's current partner is Japanese X. Hint: Mixed race, younger than him, a popular model. Perhaps hoping to attract traffic, the poster stated that he would reveal the true identity and photos of this Japanese X on his personal website in a week. The comments section was naturally filled with insults: 823L: Why doesn't this include the entire Japanese entertainment industry? 824L: I'll do it, Japanese, model, female~~ 825L: The person above, you're killing me. 826L: Is the poster desperate for fame? He's so obsessed with GD that he won't let go? 827L: Dominating the market only makes people hate him. 828L: Just post the pictures, I swear I'll follow you forever. 829L: If I'd known this would attract readers, why would I have posted about my bar exam experience, hhhhh. 830L: Can someone narrow the scope down? 831L: You can't shrink it, all Japanese models are mixed-race... 832L: No Japanese... 833L: YG has always been acting like fake foreigners, haha. 834L: Go away, haters. 835L: As for popular models, they're just the same few: Kiko Mizuhara, Rina Fujii, the Michibata sisters, Anna Julia? 836L: Just wait for the announcement. 837L: Idol romance is a capital offense for me. 838L: He's not exactly an idol, right? He writes his own songs. 839L: You want to be an idol but don't want to be restricted? 840L: You're already cursing based on hearsay? 841L: I have Japanese friends who say it's true. 842L: Then I have Korean friends who say it's fake. 843L: Hehehehe...By the time CP fans got wind of the situation and arrived, the post was already flooded with comments: 1288L: Wow, so many people! 1289L: Tonic, I just followed the instructions. My CP hasn't even started yet and it's already broken? 1290L: What's a photo of them together? We even have a video of them together. 1291L: Reading this post actually calmed me down. Maybe the official photo of them together is actually okay? 1292L: Huh? What CP? 1293L: GD & Lia; 1294L: Pfft, what old rumor? They were all debunked long ago. 1295L: +1 for debunking it. If it were true, YG would have said "unconfirmed." 1296L: Ah, you still haven't given up? 1297L: Who still remembers our Sohee? I'm rooting for them both... 1298L: Doesn't anyone else think the junior sister group is fun to root for? 1299L: Amazing CP physique, they look at everyone affectionately, haha. 1300L: Oppa, just look at me, that's all, TT. 1301L: ...The more I talk about it, the colder I feel, hahaha. 1302L: I won't give up until I'm hammered. 1303L: Wait, pictures in a week? That much time? ? ? 1304L: Don't lie, I've already started refreshing his website... 1305L: Still preparing myself... 1306L: It depends on whether the poster will release the pictures. The post fell silent for a moment. Meanwhile—H Company. Inside the conference room, the air conditioning was strong and the lighting was dim. Several people sat around the table, their expressions varied, their brows furrowed. The person in charge flipped through the documents at hand, tapping his knuckles on the table, clearly impatient. "When you officially announced your debut, why didn't you think it would coincide with his schedule?" Everyone was silent. Their boy group's November debut was planned back in the spring, a slow-season move that they thought would avoid competition. However, it coincided with Kwon Ji-yong's return. YG's promotional efforts were unconventional, with the group not even releasing pre-release news until a month before the album's release. While not strictly a direct hit, the hype surrounding the release was so outrageous that it was practically certain to continue throughout the rest of the year. For a small company like theirs, this was practically a disaster. "Any ideas?" the director's tone darkened, his gaze sweeping across the room. Given the current situation, even a January release, let alone a November one, would likely flop without a ripple. After a long silence, the bespectacled man at the table finally spoke: "...why not manage to moderately guide public opinion?" "Be more specific." "Currently, the comments surrounding his solo are mostly positive, but there are also some negative ones." He gestured to his assistant to bring up a pre-prepared feed—a screen in the center of the conference room popped up with several social media screenshots and news headlines. "The controversy centers on two main areas—one is the scandals, and the other is creative doubts." Someone whispered, "He's always been involved in a lot of scandals, right?" The others nodded. Compared to traditional idols, YG has always been lenient with its artists' private lives, and Kwon Ji-yong is no exception. Since his debut, he's been plagued by scandals, both large and small. From early rumors of a relationship with a girlfriend outside the industry, to last year's late-night photoshoot with a trainee, to his recent frequent trips to Japan and rumors of a close relationship with someone within the industry. It's hard to tell whether these rumors are true or not, but for him, they never seem to have any real impact. "This time is different," the man with glasses clicked his mouse, switching to the next photo. "We bought these photos." The scene switched—the bar was dimly lit, and Kwon Ji-yong was sitting on a sofa. A woman leaned close to him, whispering affectionately. "This is the Japanese model Kiko Mizumoto. Rumors suggest they're dating and often attend private parties together." The man with glasses glanced back at the person in charge. "The rules at this party are loose, so there are a lot of photos." While they couldn't be confirmed as a couple, the rumors were much more credible than the previous rumors. The person in charge finally smiled. "Hmm. Anything else?" "We could tinker with the creative side a bit," the bespectacled man said hesitantly. "There are people in the industry willing to cooperate and create some controversy... but the price is high." The company had already spent a fortune on the new boy group's debut, so they might not have the budget for this right now. "Let's get the news out there first," the person in charge pondered for a moment. "Just to start something new." The idol world is overcrowded. If one person shines too brightly, the rest of us are left standing in the dark. This is inherently destructive to the ecosystem. There are plenty of people trying to drag him down. "Dating and plagiarism, he can handle either one," he concluded slowly. No one objected. They all knew it was true.

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