Chapter 53 Cooperation Invitation: GDxi will personally come to WK1 to invite you...
After listening, Jiang Tinghan clapped again and praised, "The melody written by the seniors is very good, much more suitable than mine."
Tablo humbly replied, "Actually, it's alright. Can we listen to the melody that Coldyxi composed?"
Jiang Tinghan played the recorded demo directly and said, "The current arrangement is still relatively simple and needs to be revised."
Mithra waved her hand: "It's okay, we can improve it together."
The other two Agassi nodded, looking ready to go through fire and water for their juniors.
Although Epik High has been around for many years, they don't have any sense of superiority as seniors, because—who doesn't want to make more money!
There's no such thing as making money while being high and mighty in this world. They're just riding on Coldy's coattails, and they see that very clearly.
They were quite surprised when they received the invitation from Coldy. Even though the other party had explained the reasons for choosing them in the email, things were different now. Although there were only three hip-hop groups, including them and Bigbang, there were many groups or singers who could sing ballad rap, and many of them had become very popular in recent years. Therefore, they felt extremely honored that Coldy chose them, which was, to put it bluntly, a slightly outdated group.
A melody combining idol pop and R&B filled the practice room. The intro alone carried a sense of destiny, like lovers reuniting on the street after many years, recognizing each other faster with their pounding hearts than their eyes. The intro alone made you want to listen to it on repeat, as if true love had descended.
"Before the empty can you threw hit the ground..."
In that elongated, slow-motion-like pause,
A forgotten melody comes to mind.
The moment it was suddenly hummed,
That's me.
Tablo commented that this was a K-pop song that would become an instant hit, a notion that reached its peak when the chorus was heard.
When I gently stroke your cheek with an unseen hand
If you suddenly turn around and look at that emptiness…
"It's Always You, and it's still you now."
I will be by your side every time you breathe.
Don't be sad, this is love.
This is my way of asking if you are well.
In the stillness of the night, I recall our intimate moments.
The moment our names were called out together on that stage.
When the audience's enthusiasm is all for us, in those fleeting moments when we inadvertently exchange glances.
Like two twinkling stars, they suddenly found their orbit.
"It's Always You, and it was you back then too."
I will be by your side every time you breathe.
Don't be sad, this is love.
This is my way of asking if you are well.
The second verse is the part from Epik High, but it's also sung by Jiang Tinghan in the demo.
She can sing with great emotion on her own. Epik G High thinks that if those fans hear this part, they will be so moved that they will faint. She did not use a very sad tone, but rather a relaxed tone, flowing smoothly like water, with a slight shy smile of love.
There was also a rap part by herself, which she sang like a choir chant. The only accompaniment was the sound of a piano, but both the piano and the singer's voices were equally full of emotion. The "thump thump thump" sounded like a heavy rain falling in a thunderstorm, making people want to cry involuntarily.
"Go...Why are you always drowning in the blue?"
"Yeah...Please let the happy tears flow through."
"Don't judge... Walk by the riverside, let the fireworks kiss you for me tonight."
"I've always loved you, it's always you."
Finally, we returned to that chorus.
After listening, the three looked at each other for a while, unsure of what to say.
“Hey… this song doesn’t need us at all!” Tablo blurted out after careful consideration.
The other two teammates' eyes lit up, and they both agreed: "Yes!"
Mithra: "Let's use the melody that Coldyxi wrote. It's so well-written that I can remember it after just one listen."
Tukutz strongly endorsed: "Yes!"
Only then did they realize that Jiang Tinghan's claim that their version was more suitable was merely modesty. The melody she had already written was completely unnecessary to change; it was too perfect. Every word and every phrase was just right, the emotion was neither too bland nor too cloying—it was a divine melody.
This is a top-tier pop song, with a style that's most popular among the general public. The melody alone is captivating, and the lyrics are unforgettable.
The lyrics don't explicitly mention the word "death," but after reading them, you'll know it's a love letter from heaven.
Jiang Tinghan readily agreed: "Okay, let's go record then."
Tablo: "Wow, so fast? It's only our first day meeting..."
Jiang Tinghan had a perfectly normal expression on his face: "I'm very satisfied with the song I wrote, and the seniors have no objections. Of course, we need to hurry up and record it. Let's not leave what we can finish today for tomorrow."
The three uncles exchanged another glance, all feeling that the girl, despite her young age, possessed remarkable leadership qualities: "Okay."
Tablo couldn't help but recall when he first joined YG Entertainment and met Taeyang for the first time at the company. Yang Hyun-suk suggested that Taeyang feature on the show, and Taeyang agreed. They went to record that very day.
He really has a knack for being involved in these kinds of things.
After recording, Jiang Tinghan saw Epik High off and returned to the recording studio to work overtime with the recording engineer. They finished the post-production of the song overnight, turning the rough draft into a finished product in one day. The title track was completed!
She was somewhat impressed with her own work speed.
It was already dawn when it ended. Jiang Tinghan sent the song to Quan Zhilong and went home for a good night's sleep.
When I woke up, I found a bunch of short essays analyzing songs on my phone.
[Tsk tsk tsk, why didn't you ask for my permission before writing a song about our memories? But the lyrics look ominous, are they written from the perspective of a deceased lover?]
When have we ever shared the stage and felt the audience's enthusiasm? Is this something you want to do with me in the future? I'll have to work hard then; maybe it'll happen this year?
[Baby, you're so cruel. How could you sing about 'you' leaving in such a lighthearted tone? I can't accept it TT TT]
【(cry)】
This song can only be listened to once. I can't bear to listen to it again. It won't happen to us, right? Neither this kind of departure nor that kind of departure will happen to us.
[It hurts... This is the first song explicitly written for me. Listening to "Han, You're So Bad" has ruined my good mood for today... This makes me sad whenever I think of those memories of watching fireworks and kissing together. (Tears and Soybeans.JPG)]
[Found a little Easter egg TT, "Go", "Yeah", "Don't judge" → "GD" "JY"? Girl, you're so bold, I'm ashamed of myself!]
【Nenei, This is love——this love~this love~this love~】
What a coincidence, we also have a song that uses "blue" to express melancholy and sadness!
...
[It's been an hour, and she's still crying.]
Why not reply? So boring. (Kitten melted into cream.JPG)
[I know, you're sleeping. Okay, I'll give you a goodnight kiss then (kiss)]
He has already staged a one-man tragic drama like "Romance in the Rain," and he's getting more and more into it, to the point that if he posted the chat logs, netizens would say they're "worried about GD's mental state."
After reading Kwon Ji-yong's information, Jiang Tinghan realized that "GD, JY" was indeed intentional, but "This is love" and "blue" were completely overthinking things. Kwon Ji-yong was a bit like her old self doing reading comprehension exercises.
She quoted the line from Kwon Ji-yong's vow that he would not leave.
Oppa, do you know what a flag is?
Kwon Ji-yong's daily routine is a mystery, yet he can reply instantly: 【???】
[What do you mean, Jiang Tinghan? Do you really have such thoughts? Or do you have some hidden illness that you haven't told me about? Are you okay? Don't scare me.]
He came when called by his full name; this man was really stressed.
Anyone in the throes of new love who suddenly receives a song from their partner that says, "Even if I die, I will still love you, but you must live a good life," would be terrified.
"Beep beep—"
Kwon Ji-yong called me directly.
After the call connected, Jiang Tinghan preemptively said, "Oppa, don't overthink it. I was just joking. I'm perfectly healthy. Even if I'm sick, it's because I don't want to go to work."
The other person's breathing sounded a little rapid, but quickly calmed down, though their tone suddenly turned sinister: "Tinghan, if you're lying to me, I really will go to your company."
Jiang Tinghan coaxed, "Don't be impulsive."
Kwon Ji-yong's tone lightened again: "Just kidding."
Jiang Tinghan sensed that Kwon Ji-yong was in a bit of danger, so she immediately took precautions: "Oppa, I still have seven other songs to write. Oh dear, I'm too busy. I'm hanging up now to get back to work. Bye-bye."
She hung up the phone decisively, went out, went to the company, and began to conceive her next song.
Wake One didn't pressure her to write eight songs in a month; one lead single and one sub-single were enough. With Coldy's reputation, it became much easier to contact some excellent producers in the industry for collaborations.
The company also subtly inquired about who this "FOX" was from Jiang Tinghan, thinking that his/her skills should be quite good and that they could continue to cooperate. Jiang Tinghan smiled and said that he/she was an online friend of hers, but that the friend had not been online recently.
In a way, she wasn't lying; Kwon Ji-yong wasn't online on the text message; they were communicating via a different app.
After pondering over the secondary theme for a while, Jiang Tinghan carefully opened her phone, which had been gathering dust for half a day.
very good.
Kwon Ji-yong did not send any new messages.
……not good.
The silence in Hyeong must mean trouble.
Jiang Tinghan searched on KKT and Instagram, but there was no response. The only response was that Kwon Ji-yong had liked the post while reviewing the memorial.
GD is currently having a friendly interaction with his fans, so everything's fine now.
Jiang Tinghan breathed a sigh of relief and continued thinking about her song and music video shoot. The next day, her manager came to the studio excitedly to announce some good news.
Jiang Tinghan listened attentively: "Unnie, what's the good news?"
The manager's eyes practically lit up: "G-Dragonxi wants to invite you to collaborate on a song!"
Jiang Tinghan was quite surprised that Kwon Ji-yong chose to send an invitation to Wake One at this time. She originally thought it would be in August or September. Didn't he keep it a secret from her before?
Jiang Tinghan feigned surprise: "Wow...dear?!"
Agent: "Really, and he came in person today. The head of A&R is talking to him. Let's hurry over there."
Jiang Tinghan: "?"
Did she hear correctly? Who's here? Who came in person?
Shouldn't they have contacted him via email or through an intermediary? Why is Kwon Ji-yong doing it so personally?
ha?
She composed herself and cautiously followed her agent to the conference room.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the door was—there are so many people!
Wake One's CEO Bang Yoon-tae, their artist management manager Kang Hyun-jin, another company director Ok Young-joo, and of course...
Jiang Tinghan turned her head and saw a familiar man smiling at her.
Kwon Ji-yong came alone; he had neither an album producer nor a manager.
He just terminated his contract with YG Entertainment, the company he had worked for for over ten years, last month, and has not yet announced which new company he will sign with. He is currently self-employed.
A while ago, Jiang Tinghan joked that if Kwon Ji-yong didn't have enough money or resources to shoot music videos or make albums, she could sponsor him. Then she was dazzled by the balance of one of Kwon Ji-yong's bank cards, with countless zeros.
She had thought it was self-humiliation, but she never imagined the humiliation would be so great.
Now this eligible bachelor has even come to the company.
When the director saw Jiang Tinghan arrive, he immediately introduced him: "Coldy, this is your senior GD."
your……
Jiang Tinghan gave a proper 90-degree bow, making sure to put on a good show: "Hello, GD senior, I'm Coldy from Lumera."
Kwon Ji-yong raised an eyebrow, his lips continuing to curve upwards, and said in a light, airy tone, "Hello, Coldy-xi~"
He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, as if he were teasing a cat.
When Jiang Tinghan looked up, she secretly glared at him. What trouble did he want to cause by coming to her company?
Kwon Ji-yong's lips were drawn into a straight line, and the corners of his eyes drooped slightly, making him look somewhat innocent.
Of course, you have to come in person to show your sincerity when discussing cooperation.
"Come, come, sit down. Yi-en should have told you what it is, right?" Director Yu-ying-zhu invited.
The manager's name is Cha Ye-eun. She is not much older than Jiang Tinghan, but she is very meticulous and has excellent work ability.
Jiang Tinghan: "I know that GD wants to invite me to collaborate with him on a song."
"Yes, Coldy, what's your opinion?" Yu Yingzhu asked, just as a routine question. Surely no one would refuse a collaboration from GD.
Although collaborations between men and women inevitably generate controversy, company executives are ultimately businessmen, and the benefits of collaborating with G-Dragon far outweigh the drawbacks. Moreover, it's his first album in many years, so the public attention will definitely be very high.
Jiang Tinghan's gaze fell on Kwon Ji-yong's face, and he asked in a humble yet assertive manner, "GD senior, is there a clip of the collaboration song that I can listen to first? I need to be responsible for my work."
Director & Agent: "???"
Doesn't the implication be that if she's not satisfied with the collaboration, she won't accept the invitation?
They knew this girl was quite fearless of authority, but she would always give everyone a way out if she disagreed with something, and she would refuse very tactfully. Why was she acting like she had eaten gunpowder today?
Kwon Ji-yong blatantly lied, relying on Jiang Tinghan's inability to expose him: "Sorry, the song hasn't started production yet, not for the time being. I suddenly had the idea to collaborate with the most popular idols right now, so I just came here..."
He didn't forget to curry favor, praising Jiang Tinghan as the most popular idol among the public.
Director & Agent: "!!!"
GDxi's temper is indeed very good; what the industry says is true.
Jiang Tinghan: "Could you reveal the style, story, or concept? I find it hard to accept an invitation when I know nothing about the content."
Anyway, August isn't far off, so what's wrong with letting her hear this song sooner?
Kwon Ji-yong: "Style... In my plan, it's a rather domineering song."
Jiang Tinghan could tell from Kwon Ji-yong's expression that he was making things up and wasn't telling the truth: "Like making a declaration to the world? I'm sorry, I can't agree to that. I already had a similar song on my last album. It's too similar and my fans will get tired of it."
Jiang Zhenying was afraid that things would get too ugly, especially since the boss was still there. If the cooperation didn't go through, Coldy wouldn't be in a good position either. So he advised, "Coldy, why don't you reconsider?"
Kwon Ji-yong glanced at him, the smile on his lips fading slightly, and he twirled the ornate silver ring on his index finger: "It's alright, Director Kang, it was my oversight."
"I've thought about it again. How about a love song that's a male-female duet that will put the audience in a good mood?" He leaned forward slightly and stared straight at Jiang Tinghan.
What might seem like adding psychological pressure was, in Jiang Tinghan's eyes, who knew him well, his way of saying, "Trust me!"
Jiang Tinghan coldly rejected his request: "Senior, I'm quite straightforward, and this kind of song... I don't really like it anymore."
Kwon Ji-yong immediately changed his tune: "That's a song with slightly unethical ideas, isn't it quite popular now? Like the 'resentful husband' style."
Just as Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage three times in ancient times, Zhilong changed the style of his song three times in one minute.
The representative director's expression was already somewhat displeased, it was unclear whether it was directed at Kwon Ji-yong, who was clearly expressing his desire for their company's artists, or at Jiang Tinghan, who was "ungrateful."
Unexpectedly, Jiang Tinghan quickly changed his tune: "I'm very happy to be able to work with senior GD. I hope we have a pleasant collaboration."
The reason was not that she didn't want to embarrass the higher-ups, but rather that Jiang Tinghan had a gut feeling that what Quan Zhilong said this time was true.
Kwon Ji-yong gets jealous eight hundred times a day in different ways; he's a typical resentful husband, so there's a high possibility he'd write a song about it.
Kwon Ji-yong extended his hand, smiling mischievously like a cunning fox: "It's a pleasure to work with you."
Jiang Tinghan hesitated for a second before taking his hand. The next second, she felt a tickle on her palm. Quan Zhilong had "accidentally" bent his little finger in front of everyone, and the edge of his little finger, which had a flamboyant manicure, lightly brushed against the palm of his new business partner, leaving a slight itch.
"..."
He can't stay still for a moment. Jiang Tinghan really wanted to suggest that he write a song about having an affair; he would definitely know a thing or two.
Afterwards, the agent discussed the schedule with Kwon Ji-yong on behalf of Jiang Tinghan. They also briefly talked about the distribution company, publicity plans, and other topics. This was no longer Jiang Tinghan's responsibility.
Jiang Tinghan didn't know why her boss had come to visit until she left. He just stood there without saying a word. However, she and her manager left first, while Kwon Ji-yong remained in the conference room.
...Could the boss be trying to contact G-Dragon first to see if there's a chance of signing him? After all, Kwon Ji-yong is now a completely free agent.
Jiang Tinghan felt that Kwon Ji-yong wouldn't be that stupid. There aren't many well-known solo artists in WK1, so it's not a good choice. Besides, she only signed a two-year contract, and half a year has already passed. It will expire soon.
The manager, Unnie, was quite lively: "Coldy, you really startled me just now. You weren't nervous at all in front of GDxi. He just sat there and his aura was so strong. I had to control my voice to keep from trembling when I talked to him."
Jiang Tinghan: "It's okay, unnie. He's a very nice person and he'll take the initiative to ease other people's tension."
Agent: "It's clear that GDxi is very patient. Even someone of his stature still considers the opinions of his collaborators and prioritizes their suggestions..."
Jiang Tinghan's tone of voice... why does it have a family-like feel to it? It's like she's very close to GDxi?
It must be her imagination.
*
The boss came to offer Kwon Ji-yong a job, but Kwon Ji-yong refused.
He's had enough of feeling controlled by others. Although he hasn't signed with a new company yet, he wants to sign with a company where he has more say, and Wake One is clearly not on his list.
Moreover, he was a die-hard fan of Coldy. What fan doesn't curse the company? He was so angry about the non-stop schedule arranged for Jiang Tinghan that he wanted to grind his teeth. If Jiang Tinghan got sick from overwork, he would drive ten trucks downstairs in WK1 by himself.
And this out-of-town ban is just like house arrest!
How hateful! I hate it so much!
Offering him an olive branch would be no different than walking into the line of fire.
Kwon Ji-yong came to Wake One today for another purpose: to see if Jiang Tinghan had any other "affairs" at the company.
I recently came across Kwon Ji-yong, the new boy group that debuted with WK1. He's tall, young, handsome, and has good skills, which makes me feel a lot of pressure.
Young girl groups and young boy groups hang out in the same building every day, and they might even share practice rooms. It's really hard to feel at ease with that.
Therefore, when Kwon Ji-yong expressed his desire to visit the company before declining, it was naturally interpreted as a sign that there was a chance!
So the representative personally took Kwon Ji-yong on a tour, and couldn't imagine how many times their revenue would increase if they signed Kwon Ji-yong.
"This is the recording studio. This one is used more by Coldy and Lumera, and the other one has been used more by ZB1 recently." The representative thoughtfully added a brief introduction, fearing that the busy GD might not recognize the new boy group.
Upon hearing that each person would have their own room, Kwon Ji-yong's expression softened, and he politely offered a few words of praise.
"Then this whole floor is our practice room, and downstairs is the cafeteria, which is convenient for the kids to fill their stomachs. Our cafeteria is also very good, and everyone often comes to eat there, including me sometimes. Since many of our idols come from other countries, there are also some Chinese and Japanese food options..." The representative tried his best to list every advantage of Wake One. It is said that YG's cafeteria is very good, and their WK1 is not bad either, hoping to arouse some of GD's longing.
Kwon Ji-yong wasn't listening at all. He looked through the window in the door and saw Jiang Tinghan's figure.
She was probably warming up, casually dancing to a few lines of a dance. The former dance novice now looked remarkably at ease.
His Tinghan really did become a big star little by little.
—Who is this man next to me?
-----------------------
Author's Note: A chicken-shaped sensitive skin
Those of you who can should definitely check out the movie. I personally found it quite a pleasant surprise. I almost cried when Long sang "Untitled" and "Last Dance" at the end; it was such a sweet ending after all the hardship!
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