For Yousuf, thanks for the comments!
After the meeting with Go Jinhun ended, the Zetais members returned to their lodging.
On the way back, Jaehyeon turned on the camcorder and examined it this way and that.
An object that felt familiar yet unfamiliar.
It was definitely different from when it was fixed to a tripod during dance practice and they only had to press the record button, compared to holding it directly in his hand and moving it around.
“We’re here. Rest well today. You’ve all been busy. The CEO also said not to bother you separately today.”
At the manager’s words, the Zetais members got out of the car.
And Jaehyeon, holding the camcorder, filmed the exterior of the lodging where they were staying.
“Hyung, you didn’t sleep in the car because you were just fiddling with that?”
Hoyoung made a puzzled expression as he looked at Jaehyeon filming with the camcorder.
“Look over here. Let me film you once.”
When Jaehyeon waved his hand and gave the signal, the younger members who had gotten out of the car all made bright smiles as a group and showed V signs.
Seeing that, Jaehyeon chuckled and said,
“Don’t go straight back into work mode just because the camera’s pointed at you. Your broadcast smiles came out right away. Try being a little more natural.”
“Um… natural…?”
Siho made a questioning expression and blankly stared at the camcorder Jaehyeon was holding.
“Oh, that expression is pretty good. It looks like there’s something really profound there. You look like you’re full of anguish.”
When Jaehyeon said that while looking at the camcorder screen, Siho frowned and asked back,
“Doesn’t that kind of thing not really suit idols?”
“Well, who cares? The CEO told us to capture our honest sides.”
At Jaehyeon’s words, Hoyoung spoke to the members in a bright voice, as if he had come up with a brilliant idea.
“Oh, how about each of us talks about our worries in front of the camcorder starting tonight? Seriously! We can talk about things that were hard to say while looking at each other’s faces!”
At Hoyoung’s words, Hajun frowned and said,
“I feel like I’ve seen that in a horror movie.”
“Come on, let’s try it. Like the CEO said, we should try doing something more.”
When Hoyoung’s eyes lit up, Siho and Jaehyeon also nodded.
“Right. We should try doing something more. Just the money spent on us right now is probably…… an absurd amount.”
Jaehyeon looked at the members and continued.
“Let’s raise the possibilities as much as we can.”
“Will those possibilities go up with a camcorder…?”
At Hajun’s words, Hoyoung shook his head.
“The more we move, the more those possibilities go up. Who knows? Like we said before, when we come to America next time, the airport might be packed with fans. No, we might even come here on our own private jet. Hm? Then we’ll have to repay all our debts to Director Gyeong Chanhyeon and CEO Go. Right?”
“A private jet? Isn’t that going too far?”
Hoyoung put an arm around Hajun’s shoulders, clicked his tongue, and said,
“What do you mean too far? Don’t you know Hollywood stars fly around in private jets? One person rides around in one, so if the four of us have one private jet, that’s frugal.”
“When you put it that way, it does kind of seem frugal…”
“Right. It is frugal, isn’t it? If four people share one private jet?”
When Jaehyeon nodded as if that made sense, Siho also nodded as if he agreed.
“Ugh, you’re all crazy. No, what…. You do know what a private jet is, right? Maybe? It costs way more than making our music video.”
“So you’re saying you’re not confident you can succeed that much? Is that it?”
When Hoyoung wiggled his eyebrows and asked playfully, Hajun closed his mouth tightly for a moment as if thinking.
Then he let out a deep sigh and said,
“Ugh. I don’t know. Damn it. I’ll just succeed, then. Whatever.”
***
At the same time.
“Whew…”
Gyeong Chanhyeon let out a deep breath as he finished editing the first and second music videos, whose filming had been completely completed, out of the three-part music video series.
Both music videos were in the final stage of work, so everyone on the team thought the work would end quickly. But it took much longer than expected, and the expressions of the staff had gradually been darkening.
“Everyone worked hard. Let’s wrap up <Black Poodle> with this. Let’s push through just until <Butterfly> is finished.”
At Gyeong Chanhyeon’s words, the team members nodded with much brighter expressions and left their seats.
“Ugh… Music video work is harder than film work.”
“Yeah. There isn’t just one or two things to consider.”
“Let’s all hang in there. There’s only one left now.”
After confirming that the sound team, editing team, and other staff members were busily leaving the editing room, Go Jinhun, who had been behind him, handed Gyeong Chanhyeon a drink and said,
“You really worked hard, Chanhyeon.”
Gyeong Chanhyeon’s magic.
Watching that magic from beginning to end, Go Jinhun barely managed to hide the admiration that kept escaping him.
When Gyeong Chanhyeon touched up footage that had already looked perfect, it felt as if it was being reborn into something completely new.
The right colors and direction that suited them.
The work progressed in an instant, as if he had already drawn everything out in his head.
‘It’s definitely different from an ordinary music video.’
Until now, Zetais’ music videos had mostly been performance-centered.
They had no story inside them, and no flashy direction either.
After watching Gyeong Chanhyeon’s music video, their previous music videos felt like nothing more than four marionettes simply dancing.
“Thank you so much for the music video…”
Gyeong Chanhyeon took a sip of the drink he had been handed, then chuckled and answered.
“What are you thanking me for? This is my work too, after all.”
“Still… I don’t think GO Entertainment’s ability alone would have even let us dream of the American market.”
That was definitely true.
No matter how they had proceeded, the predicted result was failure.
Whether they asked famous American singers to let them perform on an opening stage or did anything else, a good result could not be predicted.
That was why he could not challenge it carelessly.
But that thought was completely overturned after seeing the completed versions of the two music videos.
Direction no different from a movie, combined with Zetais’ music and performance.
That perfect harmony was enough to make him hope that an idol group capable of shaking the world could come out of Korea too.
“With someone like you, you would’ve done it and then some.”
At Gyeong Chanhyeon’s unexpected words, Go Jinhun blinked for a moment before asking him to repeat himself.
“Hm?”
“Even without my help, you would have pulled it off. No matter how long it took. Even if it wasn’t Zetais, then someone after them.”
Gyeong Chanhyeon looked at Go Jinhun with a pleased expression, as if he knew something.
“And do you think creating idols like Zetais is easy? Does Asia look easy to you? Aren’t you underestimating what you made too much?”
“…”
“What kind of company CEO has so little pride? You should learn a bit from Junseong. Ah, no. He’s a bit too much.”
At Gyeong Chanhyeon’s words, Go Jinhun scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
It definitely had not been easy.
Surviving among idols already produced by other major agencies.
Being pushed around here and there because of a lack of connections.
Still, the result of running around like crazy to save them somehow was Zetais’ success.
“You’re the person sitting in the CEO’s seat. And you’re doing much better than you think. Push forward according to your instincts.”
A gaze that seemed to know something.
And confidence pouring out endlessly.
At Gyeong Chanhyeon’s words, Go Jinhun nodded.
“Got it. Thanks.”
Gyeong Chanhyeon tipped the canned drink into his mouth and emptied it before saying,
“If you’re grateful, let’s make an opportunity for Zetais to rise into the world. That’s enough.”
***
The next day.
From the manager’s car heading to Seonghyeon KMD Pictures, Jaehyeon filmed the members while holding the camcorder.
Jung Hoyoung, who was the most lively among the members, seemed to have now turned a pen into a microphone and briefed them on the situation.
“Today, we’ve come to watch the second of the three music videos. Haha! Director Gyeong Chanhyeon’s music video, which we’re seeing before going into filming for the third music video! This is a really exciting situation! How are you feeling right now, Mr. Bang Hajun?”
“Ah, yes. I’m really excited. Yes, I feel good! Haha!”
When Hajun spoke with his eyes tense, as if he was still awkward with the camcorder, Jung Hoyoung did not lower the tension and instead raised it even more as he said,
“As expected, that was Mr. Bang Hajun, who is no fun. Then what about Mr. An Siho?!”
“We worked hard, so I’m sure a good music video came out. I’m certain!”
“Oh! Nice! What about Mr. Jaehyeon, who is filming right now?!”
“Of course I feel good.”
After answering, Jaehyeon hurriedly looked back at the camcorder.
“For the staff working hard behind us, Director Gyeong Chanhyeon, and CEO Go Jinhun. Let’s work even harder for them! Let’s go! Our fans know I love them, right? Haha! I love you!”
“Let’s stop there. You’re draining too much stamina. Yesterday, you recorded an interview by yourself for over an hour too.”
At Jaehyeon’s words, Hoyoung smiled slyly and said,
“Well, it’s all because I cherish and love our team.”
“You did it for an hour? Alone?”
At Hajun’s question, Hoyoung chuckled once and said,
“Yeah. Even an hour felt really short. How long did you do?”
“…”
Jaehyeon smiled without saying anything, and Hajun’s face flushed red.
“How many minutes did you do?”
“Five minutes….”
“Five minutes…? You’re seriously…”
“I can just do it longer starting today. It’s not like I’m that talkative.”
“Still, five minutes was too much, wasn’t it?”
A little while later they arrived at Seonghyeon KMD Pictures while Hajun and Hoyoung were bickering.
When they went up to the CEO’s office, Go Jinhun and Gyeong Chanhyeon greeted Zetais with bright smiles, as if they had been waiting.
“CEO! Director! Hello!”
“Whew, everyone’s full of energy. Haha. Sit comfortably.”
Gyeong Chanhyeon smiled brightly and gestured to the sofa.
“Are you all a bit nervous?”
“No, sir! I believe in you, Director!”
At Hoyoung’s shout, the slightly frozen atmosphere melted in an instant.
“Then I’m grateful. Haha. Shall we watch the music video first and then start talking?”
“Yes!”
Gyeong Chanhyeon touched the remote and played the first music video first.
An Siho’s dream on a black-and-white screen.
When he slowly opened his eyes, a man in a black suit was smiling.
With his charming mustache, Morpheus made a sweet offer.
At the offer that he would grant anything he wanted, An Siho chuckled and nodded.
At the same time, the music began.
“Oh…!”
The conversation between An Siho and Morpheus at the beginning of the music video was expressed through subtitles rather than spoken voices.
And the timing of Zetais’ music bursting out the moment An Siho entered the dream Morpheus had made was flawless.
At the direction that forced them to focus from the very beginning, the Zetais members watched the music video they appeared in with their mouths hanging open.
A little while later, when the first music video ended, Gyeong Chanhyeon smiled and asked,
“How was it?”
“It’s… amazing…”
At Hajun’s words, the Zetais members beside him each added a comment.
“Just, wow. This is really… a work of art, isn’t it? A work. Rather than a music video, it really feels like a movie.”
“Yes. Seriously! It feels like a movie. A movie!”
“This is the first time my music has sounded like this…”
The experience of having his feelings toward the music change depending on the video.
When story and direction were added to his precious music, an indescribable emotion wrapped around Jaehyeon.
“I’m glad. You seem satisfied.”
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