Chapter 87 Chapter 87
2011 came to a quiet end. On January 27, YG Entertainment announced that its group Bigbang would be releasing their fifth mini album, "Alive," and simultaneously released the tracklist.
Announced that the group will officially return to the stage at the end of February. This is Bigbang's first full comeback since the drug scandal involving Kwon Ji-yong. Although the official has remained silent on the incident,
Public doubts and criticisms have never subsided. YG is being extremely cautious in its comeback strategy, but it has no choice but to take a risk – they know that only the popularity of the work itself can overcome all doubts.
Only then can the public opinion be refocused on the music itself.
The project itself is a gesture, a declaration. The metaphor of rebirth and evolution is packaged into the entire project. Each preview photo contains the meaning of new life and the future, as if responding to all doubts with visual language: Bigbang is reborn from the ashes,
They are still the group that dares to break boundaries and lead the trend. The public reaction is mixed and enthusiastic. The official teaser released maintains Bigbang's usual high standards.
Although some voices pointed out sharply that the public was not yet ready to accept this "too fast comeback", the official comment section was almost a one-sided carnival.
"I can feel that this is BIGBANG after just one second of listening...please come out with the full song soon" "BIGBANG is back!!!!" "The brothers are finally back,
Last year was really hard for me TT” “To be honest, I was also shaken after the incident, but after hearing this voice… there is really only one Bigbang” “Although the song is really good, to be honest,
Was his comeback too soon? I still have mixed feelings. "That drug addict... is he back just like that? Has everyone really forgotten about him?"
"As expected of YG, after listening to the trailer, I feel like I'm going back to the game, ah..." ... Regardless of the comments, pre-sale data is pouring in.
The YouTube trailer garnered over a million views upon release. This is the market's most honest response—Bigbang still holds a strong hold. Music is their most essential and irreplaceable life force.
This is their way of survival, and their most authentic interpretation of "Alive." * Deep inside the YG Entertainment building.
The studio lights were dim, and Quan Zhilong sat at the console, tapping his fingers on the tabletop. On the display screen before him, densely packed with tracks—lead vocals, harmony, rhythm—each one meticulously labeled.
This is the final stage of recording for the "Alive" album. The master recordings have already been completed, and now they're polishing every detail—no one dares to rush this part. Especially since this comeback has been plagued by so much controversy, they must produce the most impeccable product.
Dasheng was standing in the studio, practicing a chorus line over and over. "Delay the beat a bit," Kwon Ji-yong whispered, pressing the intercom button nearby. Dasheng listened carefully, sang along a few times, and then paused to wait for feedback.
For Bigbang, this kind of repetitive polishing is the norm. "Completion" is only a relative concept; artistic expression knows no boundaries; one can only continually strive for "better."
Yongbae sat on the sofa, looking down at his phone, waiting for his turn to record. Footsteps could be heard outside the door. Lia was approaching with the "KPOP STAR" crew.
This was an unannounced visit arranged by Yang Hyun-seok. The show was midway through, and the buzz was growing. Inviting contestants to visit their companies at this crucial juncture served as a sideshow, while also hinting at discovering new talent and promoting returning artists.
The visitors were the TOP10 players.
Lee Hi and Michelle walked in front, followed by Baek Ya-yeon, Lee Sung-hoon, and others. The contestants looked reserved, yet couldn't help but glance around curiously. Only Kim Woo-chan lagged behind, looking somewhat distracted.
Lia led the group through the cafeteria, practice rooms, and other common areas, where they "ran into" Psy and 2NE1 seniors, much to the contestants' excitement. The production's assigned photographers followed the group, quietly filming footage with unwavering familiarity.
Arriving outside Bigbang's recording studio, she paused, her voice mysterious, to keep the conversation a secret. "We're in YG's 'industry secret'—the artists' recording studio."
The photographer cleverly zoomed in, giving a close-up of the studio glass behind her.
"Everyone knows that most YG artists are famous for their independent creations. We are in the recording studio dedicated to Bigbang seniors now." After she finished speaking, she heard the contestants gasp.
Seeing that the effect he wanted had been achieved, Lia nodded to the camera, gently knocked on the door of the recording studio, and a group of people walked in one after another.
Yongpei was the first to notice the newcomer, stood up from the sofa, and smiled and greeted the camera. Dasheng's recording had not yet finished, and Quan Zhilong did not look up, still concentrating on monitoring.
Without further explanation, the contestants were quiet, almost stiff, standing obediently at the back of the recording studio, attentively watching their seniors at work. Everyone knew that an opportunity like this might not come again.
A few minutes later, Dasheng came out of the recording room. "Oh Mo, what day is it today——"
Yang Hyun-suk had already informed them of his visit, so without Lia's intervention, he immediately took over the role of host and began interacting with the contestants. Having appeared on numerous variety shows before, Yang Hyun-suk handled this brief interview with ease.
So Lia happily hid behind the contestants and took a break. She was really working several jobs to earn one salary, not to mention her schoolwork. She just finished her final paper last month.
Dasheng took up almost two-thirds of the speeches, and Yongpei also joined in, occasionally chatting with a smile.
Only Quan Zhilong, apart from the initial greetings, spent the rest of the time hiding beside his two teammates as a background. He just couldn't stand the others' popularity, and even when he was standing quietly, the players' eyes would often drift to him.
Lia secretly took two steps to the side and approached Jin Yucan, who was left alone at the end: "Why are you in a daze?" Jin Yucan seemed to be startled and even took a step back.
Lia frowned. With the elimination round approaching, his mental state seemed to be very bad. Jin Yucan came back to his senses and forced a smile: "Noona, do you usually work here?"
"...Well, I use a public recording studio. I'm not at the point where I need a dedicated studio yet." Jin Yucan glanced at her with a complicated expression: "Ani, Noona is really strong. I'll definitely have one in the future."
"Thank you," Lia smiled at him. "Don't worry too much about the elimination rounds. It's a rare day out, so just relax and enjoy the tour." At that moment, Kwon Ji-yong's voice came from the front. "My friend standing at the end... Jin Woo-chan?"
The contestants all wore visitor badges. Quan Zhilong narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at the name tag on the other contestant's chest, and read out his name accurately.
The other contestants all turned around to look, and the cameraman nearby tactfully moved the camera closer to give a close-up of the slightly nervous face.
Jin Yucan was slightly stunned, seemingly unprepared to be called out. He looked bewildered for a moment. He subconsciously glanced at Lia. "Really?" Dasheng replied with a smile.
The topic shifted to the contestant impression section, and Kwon Ji-yong called out the last boy's name. Dae-sung had to squeeze through the gap in the team to get next to Kim Woo-chan, casually jokingly asking, "Why do you have the strongest impression of Kim Woo-chan? Do you want him to join Big Bang?"
"Then let's just replace one of the absent players," Yong-bae added with a smile. Quan Zhilong nodded thoughtfully, "That's not impossible." The contestants immediately burst into laughter.
"Because he is performing in a self-composed song, I paid special attention to it." Kwon Ji-yong naturally changed the subject, "Is he a younger brother?" "Yes, he was born in 1992, so he is younger." Kim Woo-chan could not hide his nervousness.
"It seems like our GDnim are really seriously considering him joining the group," Dasheng teased, then threw the question back: "So, Jin Woochan, this is such a rare opportunity today, do you have anything to ask your seniors?"
Lia, curious as well, couldn't help but glance sideways at him. After a moment's silence, Jin Woochan lowered his gaze, his gaze settling on the tips of his shoes. "...I'd like to ask, senior, if you feel frustrated during the creative process, how do you cope?"
His voice was quiet and hesitant, but it was clearly conveyed to the space ahead. "There won't be a time for frustration." Quan Zhilong's tone was calm, almost cold, with almost no hesitation.
Jin Yucan looked up in astonishment, a moment of surprise in his eyes - too arrogant. Even for Quan Zhilong, this statement was still too arrogant.
As if reading his mind, Quan Zhilong smiled and added slowly, "Of course, there are times when no matter how much I write, I'm not satisfied. But creation is like breathing. It's one of those rare moments when I can have an honest conversation—whether it's with the world or myself."
"So what I felt wasn't frustration, but rather more certainty that I needed to create even more." "If I take 'this song must be a hit' as my starting point, it's easy to stray from what I originally wanted to express."
"If you feel pain, then stop and find your original intention." The studio was silent for a moment, and Jin Yucan stared at him in a daze. It was as if someone had pressed the pause button during the rapid descent into weightlessness. He said, "You can stop."
Jin Yucan nodded dejectedly, his voice hoarse: "Thank you, senior." Quan Zhilong's gaze stayed on him for a few seconds, as if thinking about something, and then looked away.
"GD Sunbaenim... is much more approachable than I thought." Lee Hi whispered to Lia, a sigh of admiration in her voice. Lia smiled softly. She seemed to have thought the same when she first met him.
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