Chapter 114 Returning to the MAMA stage
◎The same scene was happening to countless people in the field at this moment.◎
There is red, there is black. A person without controversial points means that there is not enough discussion about him.
Looking at these controversial points, whether they involve legal issues or not, as many people say, "Black and red are still red."
Kwon Ji-yong is the person who is always a hot topic, and it started from the moment he returned.
From the weight gain in his appearance, to the seemingly changed, deeper voice, to the slightly evasive movements and expressions he's currently not used to in front of the camera, to his outfit from head to toe...
These people don't compare him with other young people who debuted in recent years.
At first, from the moment he temporarily left, the fashion leading in the circle seemed to have stopped.
When he came back, it started again.
To criticize Quan Zhilong, I began to compare his past and present self, and came to a conclusion: the current Quan Zhilong seems like a different person.
The 30-year-old Quan Zhilong is not as good as his 20-year-old self. Using these reasons, he started the first wave of controversy after his return.
Last year, Kwon Ji-yong, who learned how to use the Chinese Internet, knew that he had been made fun of by some memes, such as "the old lady wearing a headscarf" and "his voice was ruined by smoking and drinking".
There is still the aftermath of last year's scandal, with rumors spreading that he suffered from the aftereffects of drug abuse.
Whether it was on IG or through the Chinese translation obtained by the translator, Kwon Ji-yong knew about these remarks.
But just as he said in his first show before his comeback, he has a new understanding of the experiences of the past seven years and is no longer a person who simply pursues external appearances and external achievements.
I pay more attention to inner peace and stability. When faced with bad words, as an artist, I cannot control everyone's mouths.
You can only control your own heart and evolve into a strong and inclusive heart.
Do you prefer your twenties self?
Quan Zhilong smiled. Is that so?
So what about the pressure he faced and the malice he endured in his twenties?
He was said to be the source of all evil in the team. Those criticisms of him being arrogant, proud and contemptuous suddenly turned into attacks on him who was in his thirties.
At that time, didn’t they also hate the 20th generation Quan Zhilong?
Not as good as my former self?
What a ridiculous review.
When he is fifty years old, he will say that he is not as good as he was ten years ago.
Who can stay at the same age forever?
As you grow older and gain more experience, if you still stand still, you would be a fool!
I've lived all these years in vain without making any progress.
Regarding the issue of wearing a headscarf, Kwon Ji-yong has also considered whether to... change it, right?
Last year, he went to his 2025 self. After reading the online comments mocking him for looking like an old lady, should he abandon this... not-so-cool behavior when he returns to this world?
However, when he was really faced with the situation of returning, Quan Zhilong felt that he should follow his inner thoughts at the moment.
It's not about being obsessed with creating a new trend, but...
Mr. Quan, who was wearing a headscarf, said: Oh my god, it smells so good.
Avoid the pain of styling.
His hair is now dyed red, and he has started to mess with his scalp and hairstyle again. After several years of slacking off, Quan Zhilong is a little uncomfortable with it.
At this time, I no longer have such strong feelings about the various fashion styles that I pursued when I was young.
Koreans love to beat around the bush when they talk. Song Yu, unable to bear it any longer, hit him back with a sharp retort, "Oppa is just too lazy to take photos, right?"
It’s so convenient to wear a headscarf.
It can also cover up the worry of having your face look fatter when you are on camera.
This is the cruel reality of being an artist.
The normal weight and face shape in real life, but the effect in the camera makes it look like the person has gained ten pounds.
Before his comeback, everyone said he was in great shape, saying, "Oppa, after putting makeup on this face, he can go straight to Inkigayo and promote his comeback."
When I came back, I was told that I was fat again. Why are the people in the MV and the people in real life different in terms of weight?
After reading the comments that he was making a "fraudulent comeback", Kwon Ji-yong laughed out loud.
Isn't it just that I just returned and my body is not yet adapted to the new environment?
It's just not very stable.
That's why he wore a turban during this time.
It allows you to hide the fat on your face without having to spend too much time on styling. Kwon Ji-yong's behavior of wearing a headscarf is not some new fashion trend!
However, the actions taken by this famous fashion icon are often given many different interpretations and meanings, some of which are even contrary to his own ideas, which gives people a sense of "a great scholar is arguing for me".
At this time, Quan Zhilong couldn't jump out and explain on his own initiative, "No~".
"Because I'm too lazy to do my hair and cover my face..."
Thus, a beautiful fashion of misunderstanding spread.
On this point, as his girlfriend, Song Yu could expose him without hesitation.
Quan Zhilong: “........…”
If you see through it, don’t say it out loud!
The foreign phone calls between the two continued.
They are already used to this kind of long-distance relationship.
As long as one of the lovers is an artist, they have to endure this situation, so people like them often fall in love with people in the same circle.
You can better understand the difficulties faced by others.
But the situation where both parties are artists seems too unstable.
The marriage partners that artists in the circle choose in the end are mostly ordinary people, or people who are half in the circle, such as behind-the-scenes staff.
Like Kwon Ji-yong and Song Yu, when they fall in love, they don't care about the identity of the partner. They don't want to have some strong purposeful idea and deliberately look for a partner who can make things more convenient for them and accommodate them more.
The premise for them to be sure that they can be together again is that they are attracted to each other.
Then comes the rest of the person's external conditions.
They had tried cross-border and long-distance relationships when they were young.
Years later, both of them have become more mature and successful in their careers, and have learned to better balance work and love.
For an artist of Kwon Ji-yong's level, when he returns to promote his music, there is no need for him to go to every performance, leaving the opportunity to his younger successors. He only recorded a performance in advance after the new song came out, as a way to give back to his fans, who had been waiting for many years.
His next schedule includes some large-scale year-end stage events, some overseas performances arranged by his company, and promotions on the personal channels of some familiar senior artists...
The program "Good Day" that he predicted in advance avoided the potential pitfalls and was transformed into another new form of program under the idea he deliberately proposed.
But for now, it's just a prototype of a program idea.
After announcing his return, the subsequent tour became his focus.
Song Yu heard a lot of chatter coming from the phone. Quan Zhilong on the other end was like an old man, talking about his schedule. When he went to Hong Kong to attend a Chanel event in November, his headscarf style was ridiculed as a grandma style.
As we all know, the Hong Kong media is very sharp-tongued. They directly used a big headline to say that the person coming next door was not Quan Zhilong, but "Quan Zhifeng".
Could something like this escape Quan Zhilong himself, who is already very skilled at disguise and surfing the Chinese Internet?
The person who was played with the meme seemed to be smiling calmly on the surface, but secretly he was so angry that he gritted his teeth.
Just watch~ They will soon see Quan Zhilong, who is as thin as a lightning bolt.
Song Yu didn't care about his weight at all, but rather his health.
Is it really okay to be so erratic in weight and weight?
My face has become cone-shaped in a short period of time. It looks like an unhealthy speed!
Song Yu is very good at this push-and-pull behavior of "giving a slap and then a small sweet date". She can coax her boyfriend with a soft voice.
At the end of this month, he will be performing on the year-end MAMA stage in Japan, which will undoubtedly be the most important performance for Kwon Ji-yong after his return.
As far as she knows, BB, which has only three members left, will also reunite on stage.
Before hearing this news from Quan Zhilong's own mouth, Cailin had already tipped her off that she was going to Japan to watch a performance in those few days and cheer for them.
Cailin thought, how could Song Yu be absent in such an occasion!
It’s just unexpected that Quan Zhilong, as the person involved, hadn’t even told Song Yu yet, but she leaked the news in advance.
stage?
Song Yu was stunned for a second, and suddenly realized that the last time she saw Quan Zhilong's performance and the BB team's performance was ten years ago?
From 2014 to 2024, time flies by so ruthlessly.
He deliberately softened his voice, dragging out the ending, as if he was acting coquettishly, or begging, "It's been so long since you last saw me on stage."
Thinking back to the last performance we had together, Song Yu was still the singer Yuna, and his team was still intact. Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and things have really changed.
A lot of strange and unpleasant emotions arose in my heart.
But then, as if he suddenly remembered something, his voice became more hesitant and entangled, and he said in a faint tone: "If it's inconvenient, forget it."
Kwon Ji-yong can understand Song Yu's recent popularity, but this is his first large-scale stage after his comeback.
On this occasion, he really wanted his lover to see him and witness the scene there, so that he could share his joy and happiness with her.
The mumbling sound was not a changed voice at all, it was clearly the same iconic Quan Zhilong voice line.
"People are watching you everywhere."
"If you come, you'll definitely be recognized, and then someone will secretly take a picture and post it online."
"I don't want to make you so tired and troublesome..." As he spoke, he deliberately dragged out the ending tone of the word "so troublesome".
It seemed as if he was emphasizing his thoughtfulness, but there was a hint of easily detectable temptation hidden in his tone, like a kitten cautiously extending its claws but afraid of being rejected.
Song Yu was on the other end of the phone, listening to his remarks that were full of the flavor of green tea, and was slightly stunned. Then she couldn't help but smile. She could imagine that at this moment, Quan Zhilong was pretending to be pitiful and sensible.
Who says men don’t say one thing and mean another? He is also a man who acts like a spoiled child and acts weak.
kiyo～
With such a cute boyfriend, Quan Zhilong knew that Song Yu would fall for him.
My heart felt like being gently brushed by a feather, itchy and warm.
In fact, what Quan Zhilong didn't know was that Song Yu had already agreed to go to Japan with Cailin.
"You'll know when the time comes."
After Song Yu said this, what else did Quan Zhilong not understand! His girlfriend will be there~
This grand occasion of returning to the stage, whether it is an individual or a team's return, Song Yu also wants to witness with his own eyes the moment when Quan Zhilong stands on the stage again.
As for the chance encounters and candid photos that he was worried about, Song Yu had a certain change in his mind, which was different from the change in thinking when the two of them were in the early stages of their relationship.
It's not just her, Kwon Ji-yong too. As they spend more time together, they both have the same feeling.
They are tired of it.
Tired of this life of hiding from place to place.
It’s like going back to the time when I was in my twenties. At that time, I could understand why I did it for popularity, for fans, and for career development.
But once people reach a new stage in life, they want to live in a different way.
Can I have a relationship openly now? At least I don’t have to hide the relationship and it can be exposed to the public.
Give each other a public identity, her/his boyfriend/girlfriend.
…………
.
In Osaka at the end of November, the evening breeze was filled with the chill of early winter, but the atmosphere was boiling with excitement because of an upcoming feast. The two-day MAMA ceremony, by the time Song Yu and Cai Lin landed, one day of this year-end carnival celebration had already passed.
What they want to watch is the show on the 23rd.
Tonight, Kwon Ji-yong will not only perform solo, but will also have a long-awaited joint performance with the members of BB. This news was confirmed a week ago.
The two people who set out together from South Korea witnessed many star-chasing girls who had the same purpose as them and were flying to Japan.
At the last moment before entering the venue, Cailin asked in a low voice with an uncertain tone, "Is it really okay for you to dress like this?"
In fact, there is nothing special about Song Yu's dress. When she walks on the streets of Osaka, apart from the good figure she has developed as an actress, she covers her face and wears the same winter outfit as any normal person walking on the streets of Osaka.
What Cailin was unsure about was their behavior of going to the concert together.
Because along the way, the two of them have been recognized like a sieve by passers-by or fans.
Since it was a private trip, even if they were recognized, they were not disturbed too much.
At most, I would raise my phone and secretly take a few blurry photos of the two people's backs and profiles from a dozen meters away.
If Cailin could access the Chinese Internet, she would definitely know that the Reuters news about the two of them traveling to Japan together was now all on the Chinese platform, and was posted one after another by passers-by who met them.
Cailin now realizes the huge number of Chinese star-chasing fans. It feels like there are Chinese people in every corner of the world.
Along the way, she didn't understand Chinese, but she could tell that the language the other party was speaking was Chinese. Some people recognized her first, but more people recognized Song Yu first.
Even if he was wrapped tightly in a black winter coat, with only his eyes showing, Song Yu could still be recognized by his fellow countrymen.
"Song Yu" is her good friend's Chinese name, Cailin must know it!
Feeling the explosive popularity of the Chinese drama Wasteland, Cailin thought, "Are we being too high-profile?"
It's not about the high-profile behavior of watching the concert, but the person who is associated with Cailin who went with Song Yu is not the obvious purpose?
The centerpiece of tonight’s MAMA show is Kwon Ji-yong.
Song Yu was helpless. She had already been low-key enough, but the Chinese were so good at identifying celebrities that she had no choice!
The event was held in Japan, and the idol groups that attended were all Korean groups, but their number of Chinese fans accounted for the absolute majority in Asia. And Japan is so close to China, so isn't it easy to chase stars?
When I landed at the airport in Osaka, I turned around and met someone, and one out of ten people was a fan of China.
"How can we be too high-profile? Now the whole world knows that we have a good game."
Song Yu shrugged helplessly and chuckled, "Two women going to a concert together, will there be rumors about us?"
Although both of them knew who they were going to see, they had other intentions tonight.
Since the beginning of this year, Cailin's social media platforms have contained too much reference to Song Yu. Whether it is an open appearance or suggestive speculation, the two people involved are involved.
Through the photos they posted, we can clearly know that they went to the same party venue, the same private event, and had the same circle of friends.
Song Yu's social appearances in the Korean entertainment circle have become more frequent.
The association that linked her and Kwon Ji-yong because of their mutual friend had already been discussed and explored in depth by netizens on the Chinese Internet for many rounds.
All the speculations that ultimately emerged were confusing, the relationship between the two was unclear, and there was no actual evidence at all.
Even the people involved were calm about this association.
Quan Zhilong and Song Yu seemed to be taking precautions. "That's right, you'll have to make it public sooner or later."
They are in their thirties and are still in love, just like when they first debuted, hiding their feelings. Cailin feels tired for them.
Falling in love is a capital crime, but considering the current development achievements and status of these two people, there is no need for it!
"If I were to debut in the current environment, I definitely wouldn't be able to handle it."
She can't do it either, she's in a girl group that started out as an idol.
After leaving YG, Cailin's development path and style have been directly inclined towards the European and American style. If she were asked to live according to the rules of idols debuting today, she would go crazy. It is even more strict than their era.
The whole environment is regressing.
Song Yu smiled and said nothing. Who says it's not true? She is the same.
Song Yu and Cai Lin walked side by side through the entrance of Kyocera Dome. Like countless fans from various groups who came to watch the performance, their conversations mixed in with the noise of the crowd, and their figures finally fell into the sea of cheering light sticks in the venue.
After enjoying the previous performances, we finally arrived at the most anticipated segment of the night.
The temperature in the venue continued to rise with the screams, so everyone knew who would appear next.
The idols who had just performed on the stage have now become part of the audience. The cameras are ready, recording the changes in facial expressions of the idols present one by one.
With the return of the superstar, they not only want to capture the style of Kwon Ji-yong on the stage, but also the reactions of younger idols that can generate discussion.
As the prelude of "Untitled" came out, it caught the ears of everyone present.
What comes to mind is the boy who dissed MAMA for "dividing pork" in 2014 and the king who announced his rebirth on the stage in 2024. It is like a conversation spanning ten years in time and space, and they finally completed their reconciliation.
The two figures overlapped invisibly in Song Yu's mind.
Coincidentally, she was present to witness both events on the timelines.
The soft music ended, and when the lift lifted Quan Zhilong to the center of the stage, the music switched to the prelude of a new song.
The stage belonging to Kwon Ji-yong tonight is the official opening.
Song Yu's breathing seemed to be torn apart by the drum beats of "POWER".
In her eyes, he still carries the sharp edge that tore the stage ten years ago, but with the carving of time, he has a gentle aura that belongs to the sedimentation. But once he comes to the stage, Quan Zhilong is still the king of the stage. The familiar stage style is engraved in his bones and cannot be changed.
I slapped the faces of countless people who said, 'He's changed since he came back.'
The performance on the stage and the audience in the audience, everyone who watched it couldn't help but sigh: All the familiar feelings and figures about that person are back!
From a one-person stage, it became a three-person stage. The song "HOME SWEET HOME" filled the venue and the screams in my ears never stopped.
The atmosphere in the venue reached its climax when the rhythm of the final encore song "Bang Bang Bang" exploded.
On the big screen, the names of the three people flashed one by one, and the last one to stop was the English words "G-Dragon".
It seems that there are only three of them as celebrity artists appearing tonight, and the most eye-catching one among them is undoubtedly Kwon Ji-yong, the captain of the BB.
The singing of the three people was accompanied by golden confetti, which seemed to be falling together with the real snowflakes outside the venue. Behind them was a Japanese girl holding a cheering banner. She suddenly broke down in tears and covered her mouth with her hands. The scene happened without any warning.
The same scene was happening to countless people in the field at this moment.
The temperature inside the venue formed a barrier that separated it from the outside world. Tonight's return to the MAMA stage announced to the world that Kwon Ji-Dragon has truly returned.
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