Chapter 46 Chapter 46
In March 2009, YG released the commercial song "Lollipop," a collaboration between rookie girl group 2NE1 and Bigbang. 2NE1 officially debuted, and the song quickly sparked discussion.
At the time, Bigbang was already a nationally popular boy band, and their name alone was enough to generate significant buzz for this commercial song. The music video, released simultaneously with the commercial, became an instant hit.
In the video, four girls wearing bright nylon jackets and fluorescent sneakers danced with Bigbang in a candy-colored setting. Although it was just an advertising song, the song continued Teddy's usual high-quality production.
The lyrics are simple and repetitive, with a distinct rhythm, which is both musical and popular. People can easily remember it after listening to it once or twice. YG strikes while the iron is hot and promotes the group as the "female version of Bigbang".
Arrange a number of bundled activities: release of behind-the-scenes footage of the commercial shoot, Bigbang members taking turns mentioning 2NE1 in interviews, and jointly participating in wireless station's spring planning program. Almost every event,
The two groups of artists were closely tied together, intentionally or unintentionally. With the initial attention accumulated from the "Project A" talent show, coupled with this wave of intensive exposure, 2NE1 was instantly in the spotlight. Whether it was positive reviews,
Still controversial. And this was just a warm-up. Soon after, YG announced the production of 2NE1 TV and released a preview for the first episode, which included introductions to the members, dormitory life, practice routines, and the preparations for their debut album.
In the released trailer, the dormitory life part continues the warm and funny atmosphere of "Project A", while in the practice and album production stages, it shows a high level of participation and professionalism that is different from traditional idol groups.
From a planning perspective, this series of actions is a textbook example of promotional excellence. Even before their official album release, 2NE1 had already amassed a significant following and fan base, with forums dedicated to the group already flourishing.
"I'm a YG fan now." "I followed them during the Project A era, and they finally debuted! Congratulations!" "I haven't heard Bo Eun's voice in a year, and I miss it so much!!"
"Can YG give her a better styling? Park Sandara's face can't stand it..." "Pfft, is that funny? Isn't YG's strategy to show off their talent? Why the weird styling?"
"They're not as good-looking as SM's kids to begin with. They just need to make good songs like Big Bang." "VIPs are passing by. Why are Big Bang's juniors still being scolded..."
"You're the talented one, your whole family is talented! Tuo!" "I said talented, but I meant it as a compliment..."
"Seriously, can't the company just focus on creating a selling point for the new girl group? They have to create something like a 'female version of Bigbang'. Isn't this just a clear attempt to provoke conflict?" "Agree +1"
"Don't be so picky. It's not easy to debut, not to mention that a core member withdrew from the competition." "Just passing by and eating melons, what core member withdrew from the competition?" "Lia
Kim, you can search it yourself. They were a big hit before their debut, but the popularity dropped when the show aired. "Am I the only one who noticed that Lia seemed to be in the preview for the album preparation part???"
“(Screenshot.jpg)” “Oh my god! It’s real! In the corner of the picture!!” “What’s going on? Is he still in YG???”
“I’m suddenly so excited!!! So much so much!!! YG better release it for me without any cuts!!!”… * Not only is the forum turned upside down, but everything inside the company is still business as usual.
At this moment, Lia was standing at the door of Quan Zhilong's private recording studio, holding a cardboard box. The box contained the few personal items she kept at the company.
As 2NE1's album production neared its end, Kwon Ji-yong began frequently harassing Teddy, asking to "borrow" her. "Hyung, I'm planning to release an album this year, and I really need help."
His tone was sincere, his expression pitiful, as if he were about to ruin his career if he couldn't find someone to lend him support. It wasn't an exaggeration. Almost everyone in the company was fully invested in 2NE1's debut project, leaving only a handful of people available for temporary support.
Furthermore, Bigbang also has to take care of their Japanese activities this year, so even if he really had the ability to complete the entire album by himself, he might not have enough time. Teddy couldn't resist his constant persuasion and finally gave in.
This was her first time stepping into a recording studio with a producer other than Teddy.
Kush and Kwon Ji-yong each have their own separate rooms, but they often appear at Teddy's place and occupy it. Over time, people mistakenly believe that it is the company's default public workroom.
To make it easier for her to work later, Lia brought along her daily essentials. She freed one hand, knocked, and then pushed the door open. A scent of coffee, tobacco, and overheated electronics hit her face.
There is no air conditioning in the room, so the air is not circulating well, and there is a sense of stagnation that is unique to closed spaces.
The workroom was not big to begin with, and on the table were scattered a few uncapped markers, a half-drunk bottle of vitamin water, an opened cigarette box, and a stack of crumpled manuscript paper.
A whiteboard on the wall was covered with a timeline, densely written with production plans and a bunch of incomprehensible abbreviations. Coats and beanies were thrown on the sofa, and a pink stuffed animal of unknown origin hung crookedly on the armrest.
"Ah, you're here?" Quan Zhilong sat behind the console, twirling a pen in his hand, as if he had just come back to his senses from the computer screen. His hair was slightly disheveled, he was wearing a loose sweatshirt, and his eyes looked a little tired.
Lia stood at the door, stunned for a moment. The next second, she quietly retreated, closed the door, took a few deep breaths in the corridor, put on a smile again, and walked back in.
—Yes, she was about to start working in this place that looked like it had been bombed. Teddy's studio was always neatly organized and clearly arranged. Kwon Ji-yong's space—it wasn't unrelated, it was just completely opposite.
Seeing her tossing and turning, Quan Zhilong seemed to wake up a little. "Oppa... did you just get up?" If she was not mistaken, his face was a little gloomier than usual. Like he was in a bad mood after getting up.
Lia glanced at the clock on the wall—three o'clock in the afternoon. He shook his head and stretched: "I didn't just wake up, I just haven't gone to bed yet." Lia put the cardboard box down and looked at the messy table, not knowing where to put her things.
Quan Zhilong stood up and swept the manuscript paper on the table to the side: "Just put it here." Lia quickly reached out to stop him: "Won't it get messy?"
He casually gathered the manuscripts scattered across the table, now crumpled and piled on the corner. "Ah...it's okay," Quan Zhilong waved his hand nonchalantly. "You'll know where it is when you need it."
Lia was silent for a moment. Suddenly, she had a bad feeling. "I wrote something," he said, rubbing his eyes and sitting back at the console, his voice still a little hoarse, "but I haven't picked it out yet."
Lia nodded, took the notebook out of the box, and walked forward. He pulled up the project folder on his computer. — Chaos.
In the folder, the track names jump erratically from "track01" to "track46", with some difficult-to-recognize file names in between, such as "Randomly Modified", "November ver2.0", and "New in the Parking Lot".
Lia looked at the screen, her tone hesitant. "Oppa...are they all named like this?" Quan Zhilong nodded calmly. "Some are still in notebooks and drafts that I haven't had time to upload yet. Inspiration came too quickly, and I haven't had time to organize them."
As he spoke, he pointed at the pile of manuscripts on the table. "Won't it get lost like this?" "No," he said, waving his hand confidently. "My things, I know where they are when I need them." She was speechless for a moment.
"So now, do you want me to help you organize it?" "Well, I now have a direction for the overall concept of the album." He said, took out a notebook, opened a page, and placed it in front of her.
"The core concept is an apple." He carefully drew a piece of apple with a missing piece on the paper. Lia glanced down. With just a few strokes, the shape of the apple came to life on the paper, with a touch of abstraction.
"Apple... does it mean temptation?" she asked. "It's not just that," Quan Zhilong bit his nails and said thoughtfully, "It doesn't have to be the Garden of Eden or the forbidden fruit." He paused, as if to form his words.
"Look, if you have an apple sitting there, you don't think too much about it. It's just an apple, right? But if you take a bite out of it, you start to wonder - who took a bite out of it? Why didn't they finish it?"
He looked troubled, unsure if he'd expressed himself clearly. But Lia understood his meaning immediately. An apple is a neutral object, but once bitten, it takes on traces and behavioral implications.
—it has become "individual." "Different people will see different things in this bitten apple." He thought for a moment, then added, "I don't want to give it too clear a definition." Leaving blank space is also a form of artistic expression.
Lia looked at him.
His skin was paler than the average person's, with a faint dark hue under his eyes, and the stubble on his chin was slightly blue, probably from a sleepless night. When he was thinking seriously, his eyes held a sharp, focused intent.
"Well, I think I can understand. It's the human perspective that gives meaning to this apple." The creator's interpretation and the viewer's projection. He is the one who bites the apple, and he is also one of the people who observe the apple.
"So... this album doesn't actually have a 'story' or 'theme' in the traditional sense," he continued. "If I have to say a concept, it's 'me'." It is the self-expression of Kwon Ji-yong, or GD, as an individual artist.
Each song is a slice of his existence, a reflection of his emotions and thoughts at a particular moment. Lia pursed her lips, confirming his meaning. "So, I want to string these fragments together to form 'you'?"
Quan Zhilong nodded and smiled. "Yes, that's what I mean." She finally understood why he had no one else to turn to. The album was too personal, and his inspiration too grand.
Most people can only deal with the work, not him as a person. What he wants is someone to catch the unpacked fragments he has unpacked. Lia glanced down at the notebook where the concepts he has expressed were scribbled.
She suddenly realized that he wasn't just asking her to participate in the album production, but was also revealing a part of himself to her. "Is it difficult?" Seeing that she didn't respond, Quan Zhilong waved his hand in front of her. "Yes, it's difficult."
Lia answered honestly. "Please, I have no one else to ask." He put on a pitiful expression, ruffling his hair with his hand, but his eyes didn't move away from her face. Combined with his pale face, it was quite convincing.
Lia was startled. He had his usual smile on his face, half genuine, half teasing. It was always like that. She smiled. "I want double the salary, Oppa."
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