Chapter 116 Chapter 116
The move was finally on the agenda. Although she had lived in the company apartment for a long time, Lia lived a simple life and didn't have many possessions that truly belonged to her. She threw some things away, took some things with her, and finally packed all her belongings into a van.
The new house was kept simple. She didn't put much thought into the master bedroom, simply changing the bedding. But she really put some effort into the second bedroom, which she had converted into a studio. Books and musical instruments filled the room, allowing her to record her inspirations.
On moving day, Xia Qing came to help. Lia had hired a professional moving company, so Xia Qing didn't need much help. This guy was mainly there to listen to gossip.
Although I had a vague premonition back in Osaka, I never expected this "senior-turned-boyfriend" drama to develop so quickly. "So... is it different being in a relationship with GD-nim?" Xia Qing asked curiously.
If love skills were ranked, Kwon Ji-yong would probably be at the top. Lia was stuffing books into the shelf, hesitating for a moment before saying, "...Is there more to worry about?"
"What do you mean by 'more worries'?" Xia Qing wondered. She'd expected to hear some plot from an idol drama. "Well, it's just... I often try to guess what he's thinking." It was actually quite strange.
When they met, he focused almost all his attention on her, as if being with her was the only thing in his world. It was like a grand fireworks display, so sweet that it was almost unreal. But when people saw the fireworks,
She subconsciously feared it was just a fleeting illusion. And more often than not, they were separated, connected only through a screen. The lover she thought she knew so well would become a stranger at such moments.
It wasn't coldness, but rather a subtle gap—the emotions conveyed through text and voice were always thinner than in person. "Like... I often say ambiguous things," Lia said, giving an example.
“Even if they give a clear answer, people can’t help but overthink it.” For example, after saying “I miss you,” they’ll suddenly disappear, only to reappear the next day, and then act coquettishly to explain that they were busy too late the previous night and didn’t have time to reply to messages.
Or, when she wants to have a serious discussion and asks him "what did you just say?", he may avoid the topic and instead share with her a sunset he saw somewhere.
So sometimes, even if he seemed to answer a question seriously, she would often wonder if there was something else behind it. "Isn't that quite infuriating?" Xia Qing frowned.
Lia smiled. "A little, indeed, but he's very good at acting like a spoiled child. Rather than being angry, it's more that I feel it's a little different from what I initially imagined."
She wasn't the type to be glued to her phone all day. She was already very busy, so she wasn't necessarily any better than him.
But she didn't know whether it was because of the disparity that made her suspicious, or because she really cared too much about that person, and the other side of him that was faintly revealed made her feel unfamiliar...
In short, what might seem clear to a friend might be unsettling to a lover. She herself felt somewhat confused, and therefore couldn't explain it too clearly to Xia Qing. Perhaps this was her problem.
For a long time, she had subconsciously idealized him. As an artist, as a senior, as a friend, he displayed almost all the qualities that made him the most suitable lover.
She subconsciously attributed those qualities she had not anticipated to the fact that he did not completely overlap with the image of her imagined lover. But in fact, that was also a part of him.
Interpersonal interactions are inherently limited. Those subtle hints were simply overlooked by her in the past. Such an assumption is unfair to both him and her. If uneasiness is part of love, should she learn to get used to it?
Or did this unease mean he was gradually revealing his true self? "Anyway, I've only recently come to understand—I shouldn't harbor too many imaginary fantasies about my lover," she concluded, clasping her hands. Xia Qing seemed to understand.
Seeing that her eyes had gone blank by then, Lia couldn't help but joke, "Oh, there's one more thing—" "What?" "If you're dating a big star, you rarely see him or her in person."
"..." Xia Qing was speechless. She was completely disillusioned. But it was so real that it was impossible to refute—after all, Lia was moving today, and he couldn't show up. Xia Qing sighed and leaned over to help move the books.
Lia patted her shoulder: "Stop talking about this. I'll treat Master Xia Qing to a big dinner tonight to thank you for the hard work you've endured at Samsung!" "Can I order? I want Wagyu beef!" "Of course." "Yeah!" *
Lia was soon back to her feet again. "Show Me the Money" aired two weeks after it was taped.
The production team obviously used her as a gimmick for the semi-finals: she had participated in the production of the album "Heartbreaker", the music director of "Kpop Star", the author of the popular OST, and the YouTube
The channel has accumulated tens of millions of views and millions of subscriptions, and the latest release "Paper Moon" has achieved strong results overseas... Lia
Kim's name is prominently displayed at the beginning of the film. Before I knew it, she had so many titles that putting them all together makes her look quite impressive.
Even though her screen time was limited, the show's ratings hit new highs. Forums were flooded with discussions about her, and the music video released simultaneously immediately shot into the top five of the day's music charts...
Just as Yang Hyun-seok saw it—some people are destined to be famous, naturally attracting curiosity. After the show, new offers poured in. During this time, Yang Hyun-seok met with her individually—to discuss Lee Hi's album and confirm that she would lead the music production.
The company's team was still responsible for the visual concept, marketing, and promotional strategy, while she was responsible for the musical direction and quality control of the entire album. Two months had passed since she submitted the project, so the late news was not surprising.
In the past two years, YG has continuously recruited numerous trainees, and rumors are swirling about the imminent debut of new boy and girl groups. However, the problem is that YG's proud production model is gradually showing its limitations.
The biggest difference between YG and SM is that they don't rely on a production-line model, relying instead on the unique personalities and creativity of their artists to shape their brand identity. While this model has obvious advantages, it also has a critical flaw: if it relies heavily on the output of just one or two core creators, their absence can create a production vacuum.
Facts have proven that no one has ever been able to replicate another Kwon Ji-yong. The so-called "creative abilities" of idols often only allow them to write one or two embellishments, and they are simply unable to oversee the overall work of an entire album.
This means that the existing production teams, which were once sufficient to support artists during their promotional period, are now unable to sustain the numerous emerging artists that are about to be released. Yang Hyun-suk is well aware of this, and therefore, he was particularly cordial during this meeting.
During this period, he contacted some external production teams.
Their output isn't necessarily bad, but the quality and style are prone to fluctuation, making it difficult to establish a deep bond with an artist. For an artist, a stable and sustainable style is also a form of vitality, and can even be the foundation that determines the length of their career.
Lia fits this niche perfectly. She can maintain a steady output while also developing a systematic musical identity for each artist. For YG, she's practically the only scarce resource among the new generation capable of handling this task.
More importantly, after "Gangnam Style" became a global sensation, YG felt the enthusiasm of the overseas market for the first time. Yang Hyun-seok knew better than anyone that "Gangnam Style" was a special case, and not even Psy himself could replicate this success.
What truly makes YG stand out is not the next random work, but a system that can produce continuous results. Lia is riding this trend.
Her YouTube channel has amassed millions of subscribers, allowing her to reach overseas audiences directly without relying on company promotion. Yang Hyun-seok understands this presents both potential and risk. The more she can prove her independent worth, the more likely she is to break out of YG's empire in the future.
Therefore, handing Xia Yi's album to her was not only based on her ability, but also to leverage her channel and firmly bind her interests with the company. ——But what he didn't know was that Lia also had her own calculations.
After the release of "Moon", Isaac warned her that it would be difficult to develop in the European and American markets relying solely on YG's platform. He even helped her to contact Sony
A friend who works in publishing recommended her. The other party expressed strong interest and even extended an olive branch. Lia knew exactly what this meant.
YG is one of the three largest companies in Korea, but its distribution channels in the European and American markets are far from perfect as expected.
"Moon" is the most direct example - the entire song was released entirely through Isaac's channels, and even the subsequent profit-sharing procedures were lengthy and cumbersome. The company simply didn't have a mature system in place to handle these issues for her.
What Sony can provide is a mature copyright, distribution and promotion system, which, even if only as an endorsement, is enough to help her gain trust in Europe and the United States more quickly.
However, there has never been a precedent of such a "mutual agreement" among YG's producers. If it is pushed forward rashly, it will instead lead to internal resistance.
Therefore, she chose to keep this plan to herself for now. The most practical step at the moment was to gain a firm foothold within YG - for example, she had to have her own staff.
So, she took the opportunity to ask Yang Hyun-seok to let Ha Ji-hye handle her affairs full-time. Ha Ji-hye took over this part of the work right after joining the company, and was undoubtedly the most suitable person.
She was currently earning considerable income and would continue to create greater value in the foreseeable future. Yang Xianshi naturally wouldn't get angry with her for a little-known employee. As expected, Yang Xianshi agreed without blinking an eye.
After a round of discussions, both host and guest were delighted. This was Lia's third visit to this office. She could clearly sense her own importance, rising at an incalculable rate. What would the next visit be like?
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