Chapter 85: Journey to Country K (2)
"A stage competition show?"
Sheng Yanyu's eyes lit up slightly.
"That's right." Wang Qingyun paused. "It's a brand new program. I haven't decided what it's called yet. I just know it's still in the planning stages."
"This is a key variety show project launched by Pineapple headquarters in the second half of the year. The show will also be broadcast on the international version of Pineapple Video. It can be said that this is an important way to broaden your overseas reputation."
An important way to broaden overseas visibility?
Mo Bei pondered, "So, besides us, there will be groups from abroad participating in this show?"
Wang Qingyun nodded slightly. "That's right. But the production team is still discussing the list of participants. I only know that idol groups from countries J and K will be participating. Besides you, there will also be other groups from our country."
Hearing this, Zheng Xingye, who was originally still sleepy, suddenly became interested, "Then this program must be very interesting."
Wang Qingyun smiled and said, "Indeed, you must perform well when the time comes."
While chatting, the members arrived at the beauty salon.
In Japan, a beauty salon is a place where many idols come to get their makeup done before attending events or singing shows. Besides applying makeup, they also take care of the artists' hair.
Each makeup studio has a different style. Some are good at creating glowing skin, some are good at fresh and natural makeup, and some are good at idol stage makeup.
The shop the members visited this time is a popular makeup studio for boy and girl groups from K-country. They specialize in both stage makeup and natural everyday looks.
Because there are ten members in Originore, in order to avoid the dressing room being too busy to accommodate them on the day of the event, Wang Qingyun made an appointment with the store in advance before coming to Country K.
As soon as I entered the store, I smelled a pleasant aroma and the salesgirl came over to greet me quickly.
"An Ning Hasayo!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw a group of tall and good-looking boys walking into the store.
Because of her work, she has hosted many boy groups in the past, but it is rare for each of them to be so handsome.
Even as a K countryman, she had to admit that the appearance and strength of domestic boy bands have indeed declined significantly in recent years. Of course, the fundamental reason is that young people are unwilling to have children.
It is precisely because of this that those brokerage companies will turn their attention to other countries and recruit trainees abroad.
This is not only to expand the international market, but also due to the lack of domestic trainees.
The birth rate in China is already low, and it is difficult for major idol management companies to select too many outstanding seedlings from the limited number of children. Therefore, they can only settle for second best and lower the standards in all aspects.
As long as they have the ability, they will be allowed to debut even if they have some flaws in appearance. After all, trainees can lie on the operating table.
However, there is a barrier between artificially handsome men and naturally handsome men. On camera, the effects of filters and makeup may not seem particularly obvious, but once you meet them offline, you will find obvious signs of plastic surgery on their faces.
The young lady who has seen countless people can tell at a glance that these handsome guys in front of her are 100% natural, without any artificial traces!
It was rare to see so many naturally handsome men, and the young lady couldn't help but dazed. It wasn't until Wang Qingyun showed her the appointment text message that she came back to her senses and quickly said, "Cui Song Hamida (I'm sorry)"
Then he led the group to sit in the makeup room that had been reserved in advance. However, due to limited space in the makeup room, only five members could put on makeup first, and the remaining five had to wait until their teammates finished their makeup before they could start.
Fortunately, the makeup and styling of male idols is simpler and easier than that of female idols, so you don’t have to wait too long.
Mo Bei sat in front of the mirror. The shop assistant who had been responsible for greeting them first did some basic skin care for him, and then began to apply foundation.
The young lady looked at the boy in front of her with skin as white as jade and delicate and cool features, and her heart couldn't help but beat wildly with excitement.
So cool!
He looks even more handsome up close! Oh Doc!
Although she was screaming wildly in her heart, the young lady's expression was still as gentle and soft as ever, and her hands moved very skillfully.
She's a professional! She doesn't interfere with her normal work even when she appreciates handsome guys.
To match the refreshing and energetic style of their debut song "Lemonade," the makeup artists created fresh, natural idol-style stage makeup for the members. The base was light and flawless, while the eyeliner and eyeshadow were a very light brown, barely discernible without close inspection. Furthermore, the makeup artists modified each member's eyebrow shape and hairstyle based on their facial features and temperament, giving them a more refined and handsome look.
The members who looked sleepy before entering the store immediately became refreshed after the makeup artist's careful care. Customers who entered the store couldn't help but take a second look and wonder in their hearts -
Which company launched this boy band idol? Why have they never seen it before?
After all, the face supports this, so once they have seen it, it is impossible not to remember it.
After watching the group of handsome guys leave the dressing room in a large group, a female customer who was getting her hair done not far away stopped the clerk and asked quietly:
"Who are they? Newly debuted idols? Which company are they from?"
The store clerk nodded. "They are indeed new idols, but they are from China. I heard they are going to W to participate in a music show later."
The female guest was hesitant when she heard this. "From China?"
She narrowed her eyes as she recalled the face of the dark purple-haired boy she had just seen.
They look so alike.
They are almost identical to Mo Bei from TNO, a boy group that debuted through a popular talent show in Country K over 20 years ago.
She remembered that Mo Bei was also Chinese.
Could it be that the other party has some kind of relative relationship with Mo Bei?
Thinking about it, the female guest asked again: "What is the name of their group?"
The store clerk thought for a moment and said, "I think his name is 'Originore'? I heard he debuted this year through a Chinese talent show."
As she spoke, the shop assistant took out her mobile phone and searched online, and then a relevant introduction page popped up.
However, because they are a new idol group from China, the information on the encyclopedia is quite limited, only basic information such as the names and ages of a few members.
Jin Minyan was flipping through the encyclopedia, and then her eyes fixed on the photo of the member named Jiang Mo Nan.
Exactly the same.
This must be Mo Bei's face!
If you ignore the age, people would believe that the other person is Mo Bei's twin.
"Director Jin, what's wrong?"
Seeing Kim Min-yeon's complicated expression, the shop assistant couldn't help but ask.
"fine."
Jin Minyan smiled and shook her head before handing the phone back to the other person, "I just thought one of them looked familiar."
The shop assistant immediately gave a look of "as expected" when she heard this. "You also think that member looks like Mo Bei from TNO, right?"
Jin Minyan was stunned when she heard this, as if she didn't expect that the young clerk in front of her actually knew TNO.
Although more than 20 years ago, TNO was the most popular boy band in the country of K.
They once set the highest sales record for all boy groups, and they have no shortcomings in the music source, which is the weakest area of boy groups.
As a talent show group, their record was even better than that of some boy bands launched by major idol management companies. To exaggerate a bit, there was not a single star-chasing girl in Country K who was not a fan of TNO.
But that was over 20 years ago. Judging from the clerk's age, she was only a newborn baby at the time and should not have known about this group.
As if noticing Kim Min-yeon's confusion, the store clerk smiled and explained, "My aunt and uncle were both fans of TNO back then."
I see.
Jin Minyan smiled and didn't ask any more questions.
In fact, it wasn't just the other party's aunt and uncle who were fans of TNO, but even she herself was one.
When TNO debuted, she was only in middle school, which was the age when people were most enthusiastic about chasing stars.
Because she was still an underage student at the time and didn't have much money to buy albums, it was naturally impossible for her to get a spot in the autograph session. So, like most fans of her age, she often waited downstairs at the company building and in front of the TV station just to see the brothers.
Unlike most K-country members who only support their own country members, Kim Min-yeon does not have any prejudice against foreign members because of their different nationalities.
Even when she was following TNO, her favorites were the two foreign members from China——
Mo Bei and Lian Cheng.
In her opinion, the idol you're chasing is the idol himself, not his passport. She simply can't understand the idiotic behavior of disliking someone for no reason other than their nationality.
Besides, there are people in Country K who admire foreign stars, so why has the idol industry become so distorted?
She had no idea about this question back then.
It was not until now, when she became a part of the industry, that she gradually understood the psychology of those people.
They feel that foreign trainees have taken away the debut opportunities of their own trainees.
But they never thought that the reason why foreign members were able to debut was naturally because they possessed advantages that local trainees did not have.
After all, the company isn't a charity, and the top management won't guarantee a debut for trainees from Country K simply because of their nationality. Ultimately, whether or not a trainee can debut depends on whether their qualifications match the company's plans.
To put it bluntly, at idol agencies in Country K, foreign trainees can only debut if their looks and skills far surpass those of other trainees in Country K. Furthermore, even if they perform well, they won't receive many resources after their debut. Their presence will only be stronger when expanding into overseas markets.
In the group, their position is more like a tool.
Although many people in the country do not want to see too many foreign members in their country's idol groups, these foreign members are still necessary for K-pop idol groups that need to expand their influence abroad.
She gradually came to understand these principles after entering this industry.
When she was young, she had no idea about the unspoken rules behind these industries. At that time, she was just an ordinary fan who simply liked the other person.
Even after so many years, she still remembered the bright smile on Mo Bei's face when he handed her a cup of hot cocoa as he was squatting at the door of the TV station in the cold wind.
And it was because of that smile that she was hammered into the bottom of the pit.
Later, TNO's contract expired and the organization was disbanded. Mo Bei and Lian Cheng returned to China. The next time they heard from Mo Bei was a few years later, when he was killed in a plane hijacking.
She had just graduated from university and was facing setbacks at work. She was naturally heartbroken to hear such tragic news during such an unlucky time.
It was then that she realized that for fans of idol groups, the saddest thing is not the group disbanding and the members going their separate ways, but the idol you love is separated from you.
The most painful thing is not separation in life, but separation in death.
Under the strong impact of the news, she made a decision that seems quite bold to her now.
She quit her job and flew to China without telling her family to attend a memorial service held by her fans.
This memorial service was both a farewell to her spiritual aspirations during her teenage years and a farewell to her life after graduation, which was full of setbacks.
Although it was short, the overseas trip allowed her to see a lot. After returning to China, she started looking for a job again, and her life gradually became smoother.
If she hadn't met this member of the Chinese idol boy group who looked very similar to Mo Bei today, she would have almost forgotten this long past.
She did not regret having loved Mo Bei when she was young. To her, Mo Bei was the most beautiful memory of her youth.
It was because of him that she entered the idol industry and became a behind-the-scenes practitioner.
And now, she has become the director of an entertainment agency.
Thinking of this, a nostalgic smile appeared on Jin Minyan's face.
What a coincidence, those boys are actually going to W to promote their songs...
Their company's LEVELUP is also in the comeback period recently, maybe we can meet each other then.
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