Chapter 79 First Concert (A Smile Amidst Shallow Water) Forum | Five...
Early in the morning, fans who were already preparing for the concert, whether it was getting ready or putting on makeup and making a grand entrance, were greeted with a shocking message.
Recently, Coldy, the leader of the top girl group Lumera, spent a whopping 6 billion won (32 million RMB) to purchase a luxury apartment in "Trimage" in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, officially becoming one of the owners in this celebrity-filled neighborhood.
Fans: "Huh?"
[Bought a house so early? Aren't you moving out of the dorms anymore?]
Has Coldy bought a house in South Korea? Is she sure she wants to settle there? Why is it so expensive?
[I seem to remember that Coldy just bought a house in his hometown in China earlier this year? For his parents to live in?]
[Their parents live in a house worth two or three million while they live in a house worth thirty million; they really know how to enjoy life.]
[Haha, it's probably because of the location. Seoul is incredibly expensive, especially Cheongdam-dong. A house worth two or three million won there is quite nice.]
That's pretty much it. Coldy used to give almost all of his income to his parents to buy a house, but now that he's settled various business deals, he has more income.
Raising a Coldy seems expensive.
It's okay, Coldy is self-reliant and doesn't need you to support him.
[Coldy, the newly crowned queen of real estate, is so obsessed with houses; this hobby is like burning money like paper.]
[Perhaps it's because they like the feeling of home? Do they feel safe having their own place?]
[This timeframe is equivalent to buying a house right after receiving your year-end salary? Such an urgent desire to buy a house!]
[I don't understand. Has Coldy earned six billion since his debut? I'd believe two or three billion, but six billion is too exaggerated, isn't it?]
[It's likely. A single signing fee would be hundreds of millions or even billions. She endorses so many brands, plus copyright income. Although Korean entertainment earns less than Chinese entertainment, it's not this exaggerated. It would be absurd if Coldy, the most popular idol currently active, didn't earn six billion a year.]
[You forgot that the bulk of the revenue comes from sales. Although girl groups split their earnings equally, don't forget that Coldy has not only two group albums with millions of sales but also several solo albums with millions of sales. Their sales figures are incredible; their debut album alone could potentially be the highest-selling K-pop album ever. Their actual revenue is far more than six billion won.]
There are also autograph sessions. The competition in Lumera is so fierce that these wealthy fans buy albums like they're free. Lumera autograph sessions are extremely expensive, and it's really not easy to see Coldy.
[Oh right, I forgot the girl group splits the profits equally, so the teammates' fans aren't allowed to criticize my Koko anymore. How much money have they made off my Koko?!]
[They're making way for an incredible amount of money! I'm seriously envious. I've never seen anyone spend 6 billion on a house after only one year in the industry.]
It seems like Coldy has absolutely no plan for spending money. Buying a house now wouldn't be worth it, and after spending such a large sum, how much savings does he have left?
It's good to be broke, because then you can work harder. No wonder you need to go on tour; touring is the most profitable thing.
[This completely cements Koko's status as the No. 1 of the fifth generation, right? I feel like she's the first fifth-generation female idol I've seen to buy a house, and a super expensive one at that.]
I'm in a daze. Last year, Coldy was still wearing jewelry that cost a few hundred won, and this year she's living in a six billion won house. Suddenly, I really feel the impact of her fame.
[I contributed to this six billion, which means I've also moved into a six billion house; I'm living with Coldy now.]
[Dream on! You'll only feel lonely looking at your empty mansion. By the way, I really want to know what your teammates are thinking. The leader bought a house within a year of debuting, putting them miles ahead of everyone else.]
My thought is simply gratitude. Without Coldy, they wouldn't be making so much money now. My only requirement for my teammates is that they don't become ungrateful.
[It's Cheongdam-dong, not Hannam-dong, what a pity!]
【I understand you, KKK sister, but Cheongdam-dong and Hannam-dong are only separated by a road. Cheongdam-dong is east of Nonhyeon-ro, and Hannam-dong is west of it.】
I always felt Coldy wasn't the type to put all his savings into a house. It's strange. Did he apply for a loan?
[She might earn double the price of the house. I don't know the profit-sharing ratio, so I can't calculate it clearly, but it's easy for a top K-pop star to earn 6 billion a year. Or, you could just assume that G-Dragon really did give Coldy 10 billion.]
[That's hilarious! How could that be? Even the most love-struck man wouldn't easily spend billions or even tens of billions on someone else.]
Stop with these idol drama scenarios, wake up and get back to reality!
The news about buying a house was just a minor incident. No matter how expensive the house was, the fans couldn't live there; they were more concerned about the concert that night.
It's December again. Last December, fans walked into the final night of "Shining World" in the freezing cold with burning hearts. This year, they walked into Lumera's first concert.
The girls backstage were also very nervous. When they entered the venue, they could already see the crowd outside. It was bustling and lively. Only at this moment did they realize that this was no joke.
There were a total of 40,000 people present today!
Lumera usually faces small venues with a few hundred or a thousand fans. Although there are many people at MAMA and MMA, a considerable number of them are fans of other idols. But these 40,000 people are genuinely there for them.
Jiang Tinghan was also a little nervous. She felt much better after the rehearsal, but she was still frantically memorizing lyrics while getting her makeup and styling done. Before writing her own song, she always thought she would remember the lyrics she wrote more clearly, but she later found that this was not the case.
When you memorize new lyrics, you'll know that you're memorizing the song. But if you write your own song, you might mistakenly think that A's lyrics belong to B, and B's lyrics belong to C. Also, her parts are more flexible, and some even have long rap lyrics, making it more difficult to memorize.
She mumbled a section of lyrics, then sighed and slammed her hand on the table. The makeup artist next to her then reminded her, "Coldy, you'll ruin your makeup like that."
Jiang Tinghan suddenly looked up again: "Sorry, unnie."
She dyed her hair a new color for this concert. Since it was the "Wildfire" tour, it was red, like a blazing fire, slightly orange, like the color of a lamp wick. After dyeing, her long hair fell down like Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
Jiang Tinghan changes her hair color every two months, feeling like her hair has become a color palette, ready to be dyed a rainbow of colors to dazzle all her fans. But she has to pray that her hair doesn't fall out completely before that happens.
She glanced at her phone briefly and saw a message from Kwon Ji-yong.
Baby, I've arrived! (Excited!)
[Cheering on the concert! (waving flags and shouting)]
For a moment, I felt like I was back in the past, but this tone was much more intimate and lively than when I pretended to be a mature and tactful senior.
After reading it, Jiang Tinghan immediately drank a glass of lemon honey water. The weather was too cold and they weren't dressed warmly enough, so they had to take precautions to avoid catching a cold.
The fans outside were already excited, holding their light sticks and looking around curiously. Every now and then, a burst of noise would come from a certain area, and then people would start saying, "We saw so-and-so celebrity."
"ZB1 is here!"
"Is that Xiaoting? And what about Kep1er's Caixuan?"
"Hahaha, the master and HAHA really came! I saw them!"
"Ahhh, it really is SVT! I'm so happy! They came despite being so busy, and there were so many of them too: DK, Hoshi, Woozi, Jun, and The 8. It was totally worth it!"
Even before the show started, videos of people bumping into celebrities were already all over the internet.
[What an all-star lineup! Who can tell the difference between a Lumera concert and the MAMA awards ceremony?]
[DK goes without saying. The others probably know each other because they filmed "Cha" together and had dinner together. Woozi, I guess, is because he wrote a song for Lumera?]
I think I saw someone mention in a live stream before that Coldy asked The8 where the best Chinese restaurants were, and then The8 asked Jun. Jun is a well-known food connoisseur.
[I'm already done for, why is Aespa still around? Fans are tearing each other apart, and the idol is all smiles and harmony?]
[The deer didn't have much of a feud with Zha, but it was quite intense with the whale. They're not on the same wavelength. Didn't they film a movie together before?]
Why not mention that Coldy also filmed a video with Whale? Filming a video together doesn't necessarily mean they have a good relationship; it's all company-manipulated.
[Not only do we want this female May Day idol, but we also want the May Day romance idol! The first female idol of the fifth generation to date has been born. Not only did she become famous quickly, but she also started dating quickly.]
The last group whose leader was in a relationship has already flopped. Not in the group is a cautionary tale. A heartthrob should never be in a relationship. The day Lumera officially announces a relationship will be the day their career begins to decline.
[Hey, wasn't Kim Chae-hyun from Kep1er also rumored to be dating?]
[You've got the wrong one, that's Kim Da-yeon. This one is the real one, they've been dating since 2022.]
[Isn't that the one who had a relationship in the fifth generation and then left the group? Looking at it this way, our Koko isn't the first idol of the fifth generation to date; there are seniors who did.]
[What a hellish senior! I'm going to get PTSD from the word "senior".]
[All girl groups are the same, from "Love Rabbit" to "Love Deer," are their nicknames problematic? Are animals considered unlucky?]
[Waiting for a Lumera flop. I can't stand Luhan fans acting all high and mighty online all the time. Out of so many groups that have reached the top, only Luhan fans keep making a fuss.]
[If you don't act arrogantly when you reach the top, are you just waiting to fade away? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; let the fans have their fun first.]
[Please don't rush into flopping just yet. Just because Twitch isn't in doesn't mean Luhan will be okay too. These two groups are fundamentally different. As long as Coldy can still write songs, she'll never flop. No matter how much K-pop sells the "dream girl" image, in the end, it's her work that speaks for itself. She's inherently closer to a singer-songwriter.]
[Stop babbling on about being in a relationship, it's all speculation and no proof—where's your brother-in-law? Did he come? If he didn't, it means you've broken up.]
[This is hilarious! The act only lasted three seconds. Wouldn't the fans be incredibly lucky to receive two pieces of good news in one day: a concert and a breakup?]
There's been no news of my brother-in-law showing up yet, but it feels like it'll be soon. Don't worry, what's meant to happen will happen.
[Maybe not today, there's always tomorrow, isn't there?]
[My brother-in-law doesn't have a job, so how could he possibly have a scheduling conflict and not be able to come? This is the very first show, my sister's first time holding a concert!]
I still don't like you guys calling him brother-in-law, it's hilarious! Don't be so self-deprecating.
Those who call him "brother-in-law" are either CP fans or have switched to insulting fans. These days, fans aren't MMRs anymore; they're all corrupted versions, each one more sarcastic than the last.
[Ru Zhui is not so mild-mannered; he calls her a little bitch the moment he opens his mouth. Don't glorify Ru Zhui.]
[Here it comes! I knew it wouldn't disappoint us—"Ahhh, I bumped into GD at the Lumera concert!"]
[This man is walking in with a defiant gait. Oh ho, at least he's wearing a hat. What's with the hat obsession? Shoe seller turned hat seller?]
Wow, he's dressed so warmly! This jacket even has fur trim, plus a wool hat, cotton earmuffs, a scarf, and a face mask. Now I finally have a real sense of Lao Long's age; people of his age are really focused on staying warm.
[How can you tell it's Lao Long wrapped up like that? I thought it was some old man passing by.]
[You can tell just by looking at his outfit, this is his style. I can't think of anyone other than Kwon Ji-yong who would wear a red jacket with green pants. Is it because it was Christmas a couple of days ago? Christmas-themed outfit]
[And there are his bodyguards right next to him. I have no idea how many tickets he's taking up, he even brought two bodyguards with him.]
The number of tickets they occupy doesn't affect us. Those are family seats, which are not open to the public. It's just that fans can take pictures from the outside railing.
[Family members, hehe, family members, hehe, that's what makes being a family member so satisfying!]
Thinking back to this time last year, was GD also watching Coldy's finale? He truly witnessed it all the way, from his debut to his first concert. How come I didn't ship GC back then?
It's not too late to start admiring her now!
By 7 p.m., it was almost completely dark. The open-air venue was dotted with stars in the night sky, and the temperature continued to drop, making the fans rub their hands together in the cold.
The screen was completely black, with only the sound of the wind whistling softly.
The next second, an image appeared on the big screen: the wind blew a wisp of ash onto the scorched earth. The camera zoomed in, and at a charred tree root, a scarlet spark beat weakly like a heart in the deathly darkness.
Suddenly, the wind howled and intensified. The tiny spark expanded rapidly, licked the dry grass, and burst into flames!
Crimson flames rose up like living things, tearing through the darkness and spreading wildly across the wilderness, as if they could illuminate the pitch-black night sky, eventually coalescing on the screen into a string of letters "Lumera," like a newborn brand.
"Thump!"
The music started!
The audience erupted in a frenzy, letting out deafening screams: "Aaaaaahh ...
The accompaniment to "Wildfire" was as fiery as a ball of fire, and Lumera appeared amidst a dazzling and bright red light!
Jiang Tinghan, positioned in the center, wore a stylish blue racing jacket with the zipper open, revealing a pure black inner layer covered by a white design resembling a spider web. Her long legs extended from beneath a black A-line racing mini-skirt, the stripes and letters on which were as bright red as blood.
The combat boots accentuate the slender, well-defined calves, adorned with leather rings and silver studs that resemble sharp spikes, giving the whole outfit a cool and stylish look.
The drumbeats exploded like thunder. She abruptly looked up, gripped the microphone tightly, and her eyes blazed: "Standing on this scorched earth, you speak to me—"
A cold wind blew, and her red hair flew wildly, like flames dancing wildly in the darkness. Every strand of hair was like a crimson snake with life, completely igniting the atmosphere of the entire venue.
"Ah ...
So handsome, so incredibly handsome! Red-haired Coldy is simply a fairy!
Her snow-white face was bathed in red light, making her appear even more radiant and beautiful. The device in front of her spewed forth a blazing fire, scorching the December chill and igniting the hearts of her fans, who waved their light sticks wildly.
The fans were already hyped up after just the first song: "I am wildfire! I am spring!"
When that back-to-back, crescent-shaped backward dance move appeared, the fans were already screaming so hard their voices were about to crack.
In particular, when the director suddenly zoomed in, giving Coldy a close-up, her predatory and aggressive gaze appeared exceptionally clearly on the big screen, her long, bright red hair cascading down Anri Tsukichi's back, exuding a fiery yet eerie beauty.
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
Aside from screaming, he couldn't utter a single word—his performance was absolutely phenomenal! Coldy, you're a god!
Whatever grievances they may have had before, they are all wiped away now. Coldy is the idol most suited to stand on the stage. Let's keep them locked on this dazzling stage for the rest of their lives!
Kwon Ji-yong was also somewhat mesmerized, his body swaying involuntarily to the rhythm, his eyes fixed only on the red-haired girl, as if he had blocked out everyone else.
Jiang Tinghan looks stunning in every outfit, but isn't she wearing a little too little?
He looked at Jiang Tinghan with concern and began to think about how to help her recover.
After "Wildfire" came "Wildfire", "Utopia, Tonight" and "Life is too tiring, so go jump into the Han River". When they reappeared, they were in a duo. Coldy switched to "Love" and sang "All in Gold" and "Farewell Poem" one after another. Almost every song was sung by the whole audience.
Then all the members came on stage, dressed in school uniforms that represent youth, and began to sing and dance to the playful and lighthearted "The Sourness of the Cherry Tree in the Afternoon" and "Don't Play Pranks".
The previous fierceness and wildness have disappeared, replaced by the shyness and excitement of a young girl. Even though they have listened to these songs many times, fans are still amazed by Lumera's versatility and her ability to handle any style with ease!
Jiang Tinghan twirled gracefully, her thick skirt, reaching her calves, billowing like a bird spreading its wings. Facing the camera again, she flashed a bright smile, blinked one eye, gently covered her lips with her hand, and then suddenly raised it to blow a kiss to the fans below the stage.
Seeing Coldy transform into a sweet berry in a second, fans' breathing suddenly quickened, and they almost fainted.
So good at flirting!
Kwon Ji-yong's lips first curled up under his mask, then suddenly turned down.
One kiss, and he kissed 40,000 people at the same time; it wasn't just him alone.
After that, she danced casually for a couple more minutes, raised the microphone again, and sang so many songs while jumping and dancing, yet her voice didn't sound very breathless, and she could still sing a smooth high note before turning soft.
The melody of "Don't Play Pranks" seamlessly transitions back to "The Sourness of Cherry Trees in the Afternoon," as if taking the audience on a dream where they feel as if they are walking on soft clouds and gulping down a sweet and sour drink through a straw.
The remixing and arrangement of these two songs transformed them into a unique and refreshing medley, prompting the fans in the audience to exclaim in unison – what a genius arranger!
In the third phase, the remaining seven songs from the album "Wildfire" were released one after another, and the fourth phase—surprisingly, featured new songs!
The three sub-teams took turns performing their new songs. Jiang Tinghan changed her clothes backstage, wiped away her sweat, and got a short rest.
So tired, but so exhilarating!
Seeing so many people cheering for her was an unprecedentedly exhilarating experience!
She was extremely excited and couldn't wait to go on stage.
The blue and white on the fans' light sticks converged into a sea, and with a "bang," ribbons sprayed out in front of the stage, like snowflakes falling softly in winter.
Amidst a flurry of colorful ribbons resembling scales, Jiang Tinghan, dressed in a slightly classical white tulle dress and matching white trousers, appearing even more ethereal and otherworldly, and begins to sing "Prayer."
"She went to pray for the soul for her late husband."
Despite the chilly melody and eerie lyrics, fans didn't feel cold at all; they were still cheering and supporting Coldy. This makeup and styling is simply angelic! Miracle Coldy, you deserve it!
They would be willing to be killed by such a goddess. It must have felt great to see her beautiful face covered in their blood as they died!
Jiang Tinghan also wore a fluffy white earmuff, which softened her aloofness and added a touch of cuteness that made people smile.
When he raised his hand to touch the earmuffs, the fans in the audience screamed again.
How can someone be both aloof and adorable?!
Familiar songs like "Hate" and "Always Me" were presented on stage in a brand new way. The former looked beautiful, and with the white lights, it had an unreal beauty. But upon closer listening, a chill ran down your spine.
The latter, however, was still under a white spotlight, but bright red petals sprayed out in front of her. The petals landed on her red hair and white dress, like blood slowly staining her snow-white skin, or like a funeral covered with petals.
It's clearly a fierce diss track, but besides being exhilarating, it also has a touch of the bizarre. Jiang Tinghan flips her red hair, revealing a huge eye on the back of her snow-white neck, as if it has been watching everyone for a long time. This close-up of the tattoo makes the fans shudder.
It's so depressing!
It's like you think a living person is giving you a concert, but in reality, you've already been replaced by a female ghost.
This is the style that Kwon Ji-yong likes. His eyes lit up when he saw it, and he started to automatically fill in the blanks in his mind.
The earliest image of an angel was that of someone with only wings and eyes, and he happened to have an angel wing tattoo on the back of his neck.
If Jiang Tinghan could see Quan Zhilong's inner thoughts, she would definitely be surprised. She hadn't thought of this at all, but it actually made some sense. It was like a coincidence from the dark.
Finally, the melody suddenly became beautiful.
"Always You" is here!
Considering the background story of "Always You," the previous funeral imagery suddenly becomes reasonable; the red hair falling down to cover the eyes restores the previous sanctity.
Her dark eyelashes trembled slightly as her gaze swept across the faces of the fans below the stage. Her thoughts drifted back to last year's final night, a night filled with flowers and applause, filled with the things that made people fight desperately for their dreams.
She thought she would walk this road for a long time, until she could no longer walk.
It's always you, and it's still you now.
Today's "You" is for the fans, for that man, and for myself.
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Author's note: I need to go out to check on the kitten today, so I might not be able to update until midnight.
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