Chapter 129 MAMA (Part 1) (47,000 words) Thanks to my...
On the 29th, the news that G-Dragon and Coldy jointly donated 1231 RMB silenced the attacks that had been going on for the past few days about "why GD didn't donate alone." He was the most thoughtful of all the donors, even including the post-disaster relief for firefighters.
The couple donated more than any corporation, reaching a number that netizens found outrageous. There's nothing to criticize; they truly are a couple with impeccable morals.
Some outspoken netizens even said, "I have no objection to giving him a grace period for the Korean ban."
Fans hurriedly expressed: "We chickens have no ulterior motives, and the fans will absolutely respect the national restrictions."
In short, don't make me take the blame!
There have been rumors lately that the ban on Korean entertainment is about to be lifted. Whether it is lifted or not, please don't make us, a young couple, the target of public criticism. We are just a kind and loving ordinary couple.
On the first day of MAMA on the 28th, things were proceeding cautiously. Song Yuqi even sent Jiang Tinghan two sighing emojis, perhaps out of mourning for the disaster, or perhaps because she felt depressed by the oppressive atmosphere. Jiang Tinghan could only sigh and say, "This is terrible." This year-end was truly unpleasant.
The good news is that "Snow Nails" won this year's Song of the Year award. "Snow Nails" dominated Melon in South Korea and Chinese music platforms. Although its ranking on Spotify was not as high as "Apt", it benefited from the long tail effect, staying on the charts from the beginning to the end of the year. Coldy and Lumera are also considered semi-streaming queens in the West. Whenever they release a new album, they receive a lot of support from Western fans, which also benefited "Snow Nails". In the end, its overall performance surpassed that of "Apt".
MAMA had already disqualified "Home Sweet Home" from the competition, but G-Dragon still won Song of the Year. "Snow Nails" absolutely cannot be disqualified; it will still ride the wave of GC hype this year.
After Lumera debuted, she won the Song of the Year award for two consecutive years, but her three-peat was stopped by GD. Coincidentally, it was a collaboration with GC. Lumera fans wanted to curse but couldn't. They just snorted and continued to reinforce the stereotype that GD was Coldy's son-in-law.
Kwon Ji-yong took some time to accept the award. His hat completely covered his hair, so fans didn't know if he had dyed his hair a new color. But it didn't matter; he had won a major award, and his fans were already overjoyed and celebrating with drums and gongs.
In addition, there is the Most Popular Artist Award. G-Dragon is in the Top 10 in the male category, and Lumera is in the Top 10 in the female category. The latter is undoubtedly number one, leading by a wide margin in the number of votes.
However, the young couple felt a mix of emotions.
I'm neither happy nor unhappy, I'm stuck in this limbo.
When you're feeling down, it's the perfect time to play with cats and dogs. Jiang Tinghan waited until Kwon Ji-yong finished rehearsing in the early hours of the 29th, then caught the cat and went back to sleep. The cat had barely slept on the 28th either; how could it be in better shape to face its fans without proper rest?
During rehearsals, Kwon Ji-yong dressed himself up beautifully, wearing a flowing gray shirt that accentuated his broad shoulders but made him look very slim, neat, noble, and elegant. He also wore a black scarf with white polka dots and a baseball cap, which was very exquisite. Naturally, he didn't want to change back into his pajamas to go back to sleep, as it was too much trouble!
But cats can't go against their owners' wishes, so they were dragged back home with their claws outstretched. After a bath, their hair was wet and messy, and their eyes were gloomy, making them look very unhappy.
Jiang Tinghan blew his hair dry, carefully tidying up his choppy bangs. Her warm, soft fingertips brushed against Kwon Ji-yong's head, leaving a warm, moist touch on his forehead, cheeks, and the back of his neck. She then said, "Oppa, I've been waiting for you for a long time. It's still a bit chilly in Hong Kong at dawn..."
Kwon Ji-yong was so charmed that he was completely smitten and had no time to be angry. He sweetly cuddled his girlfriend and fell asleep.
Jiang Tinghan got up after only a short sleep. After rehearsing with her teammates, they went through the rehearsal twice more. Although the preparation was rushed, they had a lot of stage experience and there were no major problems.
In the afternoon, the girls got their makeup and hair done one by one, waiting for MAMA to start.
Jiang Tinghan looked down at her phone and sent a message to Kwon Ji-yong: 【(Cat Forced Reboot.JPG)】
Kwon Ji-yong sent a selfie in the mirror, already made up and styled, meaning he's already up and ready for work.
He was wearing a pink shirt and black suit today. It was a mature outfit, but because of his face and his uneven bangs above his eyebrows, he looked clean and youthful.
However, because the man was sticking out his tongue for no apparent reason, the photo became a bit erotic. His eyes were rather cold, but sometimes the more abstinent he looked, the more exciting it became.
It's not even dark yet and they're already burning so much.
Jiang Tinghan remained calm and tapped: 【Okay】
Kwon Ji-yong must have been quite busy. Seeing Jiang Tinghan's concise reply, he didn't make a fuss and only sent a few kissing emojis.
Jiang Tinghan thought about the award presenters today, including Lee Soo-hyuk, who has a good relationship with Kwon Ji-yong, Im Si-wan, a new friend she met this year, and Kim Hye-soo, a senior actress who had a brief scene with her in the Infinite Challenge movie. They would have to catch up for a while.
The MAMA awards ceremony began promptly at 6 PM.
This year, only the award recipients had to sit in the audience, while everyone else waited backstage. As a result, the fans at the venue already knew the winners before the host announced the list, which diminished the sense of surprise. However, the online fans were just as nervous.
G-Dragon won the first Best Male Dance award at the start of the show. The catchy melody of "Too Bad" resounded throughout the venue, and the fans in the audience were screaming. Even Lumina and Coda gave their brother-in-law some face. These two groups happened to be the two with the largest number of people in the audience of 30,000. At first glance, it felt like the whole audience was screaming.
[This Lei Feng hat is so cute! (screams) (screams) Oh my god, Oppa's face is so small, like a fluffy little kitten...]
This kind of fashion is not something everyone can pull off. If I wore this brown Lei Feng hat, I'd look like Bald Qiang (a character from Journey to the West).
[The man who looks best in a Lei Feng hat in the world looks so much thinner; his jawline is even more defined than mine! Oppa, please eat more! How come this couple is losing weight together? I'll give each of you ten pounds, okay?]
[Oh my god, why is it raising its paws and clenching its fist? From the left, it's cute! From the right, it's cute! From above, it's cute! I'm going to go to Oppa's house today and steal this adorable creature!]
Doesn't Coldy steal?
[I took them with me, picked up two cats.]
Whether it's stealing or picking up trash, I can tell for myself. Just don't take GC (crying) (crying)
[Hmm, after years of inactivity, Lao Long made a light comeback and easily won Best Dance. Let's see who dares to say that Lao Long's dancing skills are not good and that he only relies on his choreography.]
[Haha, some people who predicted scores that were miles apart will say that they were all cheated. But in reality, no matter how much they hype it up or how loudly they claim to dominate the charts, nobody has ever heard of it. If you are completely crushed, you should just admit defeat and stop being stubborn. Otherwise, when you ask the main person, "Is GD qualified to win Best Male Dancer?", your idol will say, "GD is my idol."]
[That sharp tongue of mine (I love it!)]
When will Lumera be released?! Ladies, I miss you all! Coldy, let me see your pretty face. You really went all out with your donation today. Are you going to cut back on jewelry for a while now?
[It's definitely not that bad. It's just a small amount of money for GC. Besides, donating 1231 is really thoughtful. Is it a way of hoping to sustain them until the end of the year? Is it a blessing that the victims can see 2026?]
[1231 is really good. If it were New Year's Day 0101, it could also be considered a beautiful wish. But the number of donations has dropped sharply. Since the new year is almost here, I'll first wish to be reborn as a child of GC.]
【What?! What are you doing, you silly goose?! How did you end up being reincarnated?! (Panic) (Panic)】
Not long after, Kwon Ji-yong came out again and won the Best Male Solo Award. At this moment, the whole venue was screaming, not only because they saw Kwon Ji-yong again, but also because—Lumera was sitting behind him!
One second, Lee Soo-hyuk on stage announced, "The winner of the 2025 MAMA Best Male Artist award is—G-Dragon!" The next second, the camera focused on Kwon Ji-yong sitting in the audience, and also captured Lumera behind him.
As the team leader, Jiang Tinghan sat on the far left. Today, she wore a pure white suit jacket with a beige turtleneck sweater and matching suit trousers. She also wore black high heels with red soles. Her long black hair was draped straight down her back, with neat bangs that reached her eyebrows. Her ears were clean and without any accessories.
Apart from the splash of red on the soles of the shoes, which added a touch of flamboyance, the rest of the atmosphere was solemn and dignified, as if one were attending a funeral rather than an awards ceremony.
But her long, straight black hair with bangs also made her look more innocent, making people think of the seemingly naive but actually ruthless gangster heiress in the movie.
The adult version of Judith seems to have been brought to life.
This couple, known throughout the internet, sat with one in front and the other in the back, looking serious, yet bringing smiles to the faces of many fans both online and offline.
【Aww, you're saying my CP is wearing a black suit and a white suit today? What's the difference between that and matching couple outfits?】
So handsome, so beautiful, so cute, they're such a perfect match!!!
[Hmm, you two are just pretending to look at the screen without looking at each other, but inside you're probably itching to stick together and celebrate your award, right?]
But Coldy was actually looking at G-Dragon on the screen, since it was her husband who won the award.
[It must have been hard to hold back your laughter, right? Was it because of the MAMA guest seating rule that you couldn't laugh that you had such a tight face? Haha, but you're still so cute! I've had this hairstyle for a long time, it's so youthful. Aren't those schoolgirl uniforms who play villains in horror movies all like this? Like Tomie, or Nano from "Girl from Nowhere"?]
[Ahhh, I get it too! A pure, beautiful, yet dangerous vibe! It reminds me of Coldy's look from her first stage performance of "SW," also with long, straight black hair. It's unbelievable how long it's been!]
[MAMA, you're great at arranging the order of awards, but don't get arrogant!]
When Kwon Ji-yong heard that he had won the award, his lips, which had been taut ever since he saw Jiang Tinghan come on stage, finally curved into a smile. His girlfriend was behind him, and his good friend was on stage. He was the type of person who would react strongly when he saw someone he knew in a formal setting, and he was having a very hard time holding back his laughter.
He first bowed to Lee Soo-hyuk from a distance, then solemnly accepted the trophy, and then gave his acceptance speech. As he spoke, his hat swayed back and forth on both sides, and in addition to the brown fur, there were two long black ropes swinging left and right, like a lop-eared rabbit.
Jiang Tinghan slightly raised her eyes to look at Kwon Ji-yong, who was receiving the award, and remembered that when they came up, Kwon Ji-yong stood up first to greet them.
She said, "Hello, GD sunbaenim."
As a result, Kwon Ji-yong lifted his fluffy rabbit ears, turned to the side and poked out his real ears: "What?"
Although wearing a hat makes me look cute and cool... I can't hear what anyone is saying at all!
Jiang Tinghan almost burst out laughing, but then put on a serious face and said to Kwon Ji-yong, "Hello, senior."
My dear, please add me on my phone.
The other children also bowed, and Kwon Ji-yong replied in a serious tone, "Hello."
"Have you had dinner yet?" This was a question that shouldn't have been asked, but it slipped out unconsciously. The other teammates all looked at Jiang Tinghan, knowing that what this senior should be asking most was whether their captain had eaten dinner.
"Not yet." Jiang Tinghan calmly replied, then led his teammates to take their seats.
Kwon Ji-yong's gaze seemed to be fixed on her. He turned his head as she walked and winked at her, sending a signal that they should go out for dinner together after this was over.
Jiang Tinghan looked away. Although she didn't react at all, she had automatically become "definitely going to agree" from the moment Quan Zhilong had this idea. After all, there was basically nothing she wouldn't do when she was with Quan Zhilong.
Rewinding to the present, Kwon Ji-yong is still racking his brains to craft his acceptance speech: "I'm so glad to meet everyone in the second part as well. After winning the Best Male Dancer Award, I've now won the Best Male Singer Award. Thank you so much."
"I miss my members a little now, and I'm also very grateful to my family, friends, and team members who have always supported me."
“Niega…” Kwon Jiyong paused for a second, then spoke in a very casual tone, his voice low and slightly mature and hoarse: “This album, which I’ve been preparing for eight years, also reflects a lot of Coldyxi’s efforts. I don’t think the song ‘Snow Nails,’ which won Song of the Year yesterday, would have achieved such a great result without Coldyxi’s feature.”
He kept looking ahead, but his gaze gradually became serious and sincere: "My beloved Coldyxi happens to be in the audience right now, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..."
In this situation, Jiang Tinghan shouldn't have been shown on camera, but the director inconsiderately put her face on the big screen.
Jiang Tinghan looked somewhat surprised, as if she hadn't expected Kwon Ji-yong to mention her in his acceptance speech, and even add the title "lover" before it.
But when he saw himself appear on the big screen, his reaction was not too intense. Instead, he calmly smiled at the camera, as if the ice and snow had melted and early spring had arrived, and he looked gentler.
"Ahhhhhhh—" The fans in the audience, who finally realized what was happening, erupted in a violent scream.
[Ahhh, I heard it! I heard it with both ears, my whole family heard it! Quanlong said "my love"!!!]
[Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Dragon just blurted out my lover like that?! She gave Han a whole speech to him alone!!! The authority of a true couple is beyond my imagination; if the main character gives the order, anyone who doesn't go for the climax will be dragged out and executed!]
[Long Han, you two are just too sweet! Bro, how did you suddenly become so brave? No wonder you had such a tense face backstage, you were plotting to go on stage and shock the world!]
[The audience must have been shocked, lol. What's the difference between this and a public confession? That look in his eyes is melting my heart. How can he be so sincere?]
[Lao Long's speech didn't give me the feeling that he was showing off his love; I genuinely felt that he was sincerely grateful to Coldy. Listening to him speak really moved me. Sincerity is indeed the ultimate weapon. I'm so lucky to be able to ship this amazing GC couple.]
Of course, this is Coldy! Everyone knows how much Coldy has sacrificed for GD and how important he is to GD.
I'm about to cry... The way you love each other is the most beautiful thing about you.
[I can't take it anymore. My Long just mentioned missing the members, and then Han wrote a long essay for me. If time allowed, it could probably last ten minutes.]
Not that little.
Ahhh, how can that smile be so sweet? As soon as my dad confessed his love to me, I smiled like spring water. I'm so full of love! I came here today hoping for some sweet moments just from being in the same frame as my dad, but my parents just spoiled us like this (so touching) (tears)
My brother made a heartfelt confession, and my sister happily accepted. If I were there, I would have shouted "GC99" with excitement. It's impossible to end this without them getting married!
[Don't call my dad a live-in son-in-law anymore! Even if he were, he'd be a grateful one! He completely acknowledges my mom's contributions to *Snownail* and *Ubermensch*!]
Thinking about it carefully, it really is true. The duet performance of "Snow Nails" last year was a huge hit. Koko's close and hot dance became popular all over the country. Countless casual viewers became fans of GC after watching the performance. "7 Hours" and "Take Me" were written for Koko, as well as "Three Times" produced by Koko. It's right to thank her (thumbs up) (thumbs up)
[Kids, have you forgotten? Last year at MAMA, when I won Artist of the Year, I thanked "respected senior G-Dragon," and this year I responded!]
[Not just that, last year in his acceptance speech he also thanked his sister, but he referred to her as Ms. Coldy. This year he directly said "my lover." My brother is still too good to MAMA; he even managed to get this much attention.]
[My brother was especially happy because the song was "Snow Nails". This song is really meaningful to GC. It was originally scheduled to be released after it was filmed in 2023, but it was delayed until last year's MAMA that it finally got the opportunity to premiere. My brother really loves this song.]
I love it too! My forever number one hit song, "Snow Nails"!
After Kwon Ji-yong finished speaking, he turned his head to look at the screen behind him, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
He glanced at Lee Soo-hyuk beside him and continued, "If there's an opportunity next year or in the future, I'd like to personally present this award to my friend who's giving me this award. Finally, thank you to my fans who have always loved me, FAM and VIP. We received this award together."
Kwon Ji-yong raised the trophy in his hand and quickly stepped off the stage, his steps appearing much lighter, as if he were in a very cheerful mood.
Next up is Lumera's time to stock up on merchandise. Girl groups that used to compete fiercely with them are all showing signs of decline this year.
Aespa made two comebacks with 29 songs but never reached number one on any charts, and after a year, all he got was ridicule; Newjeans is now practically unknown, and it's questionable whether they'll ever be able to make a comeback.
Ive's comeback was decent. Ive is often attacked as "Jang Won-young and her five maids," and Lumera is also derogatoryly called "Coldy and her seven foot-washing maids." However, the two are different. The other members of Lumera are only less popular than Coldy, but they are among the top in the fifth generation. Moreover, a group song is usually the result of all eight members performing perfectly. There has never been a phenomenon where one member was ridiculed by the whole internet for being bad. This year, Ive members released solo songs, but they made no splash. When it comes to solo song achievements, they are completely crushed by Coldy.
This year, Blackpink, a former girl group that released a new song, couldn't even get a single number on the first channel. Twice is still hovering between being in and not in the first channel. Idle, who has performed well in the past two years, also had a poor performance with "Good Thing" this year. On the contrary, Nmixx and Lesserafim brought new surprises. However, they are still far behind Lumera.
So Lumera effortlessly won the "Best Girl Group Award", "Best Dance Performance Girl Group Award" and "Most Popular Girl Group Award". MAMA created a few new awards for Aespa and ive, so at least on the surface it didn't look so bad. But their contemporaries had gotten used to it to some extent, as they had been suppressed by Lumera in the past two years.
When you do well, Lumera does even better; when you do poorly, Lumera remains consistently excellent. If a self-made group's core creative talent can't write good songs, it's doomed. If a group relies on songs from its record label, it's even worse if the label wants to replace its members. But Coldy is a miracle of consistently strong creative talent.
Jiang Tinghan still gave the opportunity to speak to her teammates when Lumera received an award, only saying at the beginning to lead everyone in greeting, "Ah ni ha yo, we are Lumera."
She only began to speak after she personally won the "Best Female Singer Award".
The first title that popped up when the award-winning short film was "Queen of Kpop," and Jiang Tinghan immediately understood how Kwon Ji-yong felt when he received the Vision Award and watched the award-winning short film last year.
It's really a bit awkward.
If you really had to give her a title, she would actually prefer "King," as she's eyeing Kwon Ji-yong's throne.
"The Omnipotent Music Maestro"
"The Charisma King of the Stage"
"Universally laid All-Round ACE"
"Set the world on fire"
The exaggerated titles paired with the amazing performance of Coldy made the fans scream non-stop. In the next shot, Jiang Tinghan was already on stage in high heels. She was dressed in a pure white suit, with a calm look in her eyes and a powerful presence. The red that was faintly visible as she walked was eye-catching and dazzling. Every move she made exuded a unique charm.
The fans shouted even louder, their throats almost hoarse.
Every line in the short film is spot on, and fans are irresistibly drawn to Coldy.
Jiang Tinghan leaned closer to the microphone and switched to Chinese: "Good evening, everyone."
The fans below immediately erupted in a huge cheer, their enthusiasm turning into a wave of heat.
She looked up, as if she were looking through the camera at tens of thousands of audience members. Her eyes were restrained yet bright, like the sun that was still obscured in the misty morning but was already ready to shine: "The last time I came to Hong Kong was two months ago, when we were on the Lumera tour. Everyone was just as enthusiastic."
The fans below the stage became even more excited. Jiang Tinghan seemed to hear a monkey's cry and couldn't help but laugh: "This year has been quite a difficult one for me. I am grateful to Lumina and Coda for their companionship and support throughout the year, which has allowed me to receive this very meaningful award."
“Although I received the same award two years ago, the feeling was completely different. It was my first time releasing a solo album, and everything was very immature. Now I have matured a lot.” Not only has releasing an album made her more mature, but Jiang Tinghan also looks more mature than she did two years ago. She is like a butterfly that has just emerged from its cocoon and grown into its most beautiful form. Her words also have a sense of weight.
“But sometimes I still have some self-doubt. Writing high-energy, grand songs seems to be a sure-fire formula for success in the public eye. So, will writing a refreshing or cute song not be as successful as the last comeback? If it were my solo, I could be more free to express myself, but with Lumera, I feel like I can't be so willful. However, my ideas and my willfulness always get the support of my members, so I am very grateful to my members. If Lumera were just me, it would not be as successful as it is now.”
“Hmm…” Jiang Tinghan pondered for a moment, his tone still cautious and serious. “Later, I saw a sentence that went something like this: When the voices of millions of hers converge into a tide, the land will be reshaped. I think I can stop doubting for now and let the public hear me, hear Lumera’s voice. Even if the voice is very small at first, as long as there are enough of them, they can eventually be combined into a loud voice that the whole world can hear.”
She smiled slightly: "Maybe it can even change some of the formulas for K-pop to become a hit, and make listeners like songs with more diverse styles."
"I'm very happy that I achieved good results in both my solo and group activities this year. I sincerely thank everyone who has helped me and given me strength. Thank you for supporting me all the way to today."
"I love you all."
[As expected! A speech in pure Chinese! Today, Sister Kou is truly a model citizen. Chinese people in Hong Kong should speak Chinese openly and confidently, there's no need to be shy.]
Friends, I truly enjoy listening to Sister Han's acceptance speech. It's not one of those formulaic thank-you speeches that just rattle off a bunch of words; it's something she says after careful thought.
Every time I hear Sister Han speak, I feel both inspired and moved. She is truly a pillar of support and a role model for many people.
[It's unbelievable that someone as incredibly successful as her would have self-doubt. She really sets incredibly high standards for herself. She must never want to disappoint her fans with each comeback and always strives for even better results. No wonder she's under so much pressure. But Tinghan, you've already done so well, haven't you?]
[Putting aside her love life, Koko is dedicated and talented. She's released two solo albums in three years, both of top quality. She leads her group's comebacks every year, consistently producing high-quality and popular works. She puts her all into every tour as if it were her first time on stage, never slacking off. Furthermore, her solo career is thriving, exploring more and more uncharted territories. What an amazing idol!]
[She's incredibly funny on variety shows. While she's definitely talented, it also shows how hard she works. Who would have thought that three years ago, before participating in SW, she was a complete newbie with no experience in the idol industry?]
Born a superstar
[This is such a great quote, I love it! "When the voices of millions of hers converge into a tide, the land will surely be reshaped." This sentence has a deeper meaning; it means breaking existing rules and creating a new path that belongs to her. That's so cool! She's tried the futuristic metal style that's been popular in recent years, but she doesn't follow the trend. Now K-pop always likes to attach all sorts of trendy labels to groups, but Coldy doesn't do that. She's always focused on writing good songs and presenting good performances, creating songs that resonate with listeners. She's truly an artist who dares to take on challenges and has a very clear mind.]
This is probably why others are declining while she is able to develop steadily. Coldy's acceptance speech should be printed out, framed, and read three times a day.
[Furthermore, she is very grateful. Everyone dares to say that Lumera is 90% reliant on Coldy, but Coldy's speeches are all about Lumera and its members. In this respect, Coldy and G-Dragon are very similar.]
[Couple's resemblance]
[Haha, successful people always have similarities, right? These two are able to achieve their current popularity, awards, and status because they are impeccable in every aspect.]
[The undisputed King and Queen of K-pop, they're a match made in heaven!]
Hehehe, our GC is actually the king and queen of Crazy Kingdom!
After several stages and awards ceremonies, the stage lights dimmed again, remaining dark for two or three seconds. Then, the large screen lit up first, displaying a giant snowflake shape with a five-pointed star in the center. The star seemed to beat twice like a heart, and then the entire screen changed to a new pattern.
A girl with pigtails, holding a giant axe, wears strange sunglasses with snowflakes on the left and stars on the right. Her mouth is stretched into an exaggerated arc, and her hair color is the same as the tip of the axe—a dazzling scarlet.
She was a completely unfamiliar cartoon character, but viewers immediately recognized her as Alice.
After two evil and maniacal laughs rang out, the fog on the stage slowly dissipated, and a figure gradually became clear.
Lumera's performance is coming!!!
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Author's Note: It's almost over, so let the dragon run wild a bit!
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