Debut Showcase. (2)
“Many reporters have come to see us. Yeah, the showcase will begin now!”
The announcer in charge of hosting said powerfully. As the seven members went up to the stage, camera shutters poured out. When Lee Joo Hyuk shouted ‘Two, three!’ and everyone said greetings together.
“Always by your side! Hello, we are Awy!”
“Hello. I’m in the position of the leader, Lee Joo Hyuk.”
After the loud greeting, each person will have an introduction time starting with Lee Joo Hyuk. Ian’s order was the last.
‘Can you also mark the cameras that shoot me?’
［Well… I’ll give it a try.]
Jin’s shape disappeared and red cross-shaped marks appeared and disappeared in the audience seat repeatedly. It felt like he was playing a shooting game.
Ian smiled calmly and looked at the marks one by one. Reporters pressing the camera shutter did not miss Ian’s eye contact.
［This worked?]
‘King God Sir Jin, please also mark the cameras that take the group photos.’
［Wow, he’s so good at eating me. I can’t even get alcohol because I’m in a spirit state, I’m doing this empty-mouthed.]
Ian was focused on taking pictures by slightly changing the angle. Come to think of it, why does Jin help Ian? Even when he died? Is it a system where the Grim Reaper tells him to do it?
“Okay, the next is the last member.”
As he immersed himself in thought, Ian grabbed the mic that came in front of him and lifted it. At that moment, all the cross shapes in the audience seat shone brightly. Ian bowed down and said a greeting.
“Hello. I’m the visual of Awy, Choi Ian. Thank you for coming.”
“Yes, we’ve finished introducing the members. After a short photo time, we’ll continue to perform the B-track and debut song then have an interview time.”
‘Jin, launch it again.’
［Yes yes. I understand, sir.]
Ian smiled broadly and posed.
***
［Photo] AWY Choi Ian’s ‘Women Captivating Eye Contact’
［Real-Time Photo] ‘Heart Fluttering’ Extraordinary Atmosphere of Awy’s Visual, Choi Ian
Photos are uploaded almost in real-time. Fortunately, other members were distinguished by their hair colors, but sometimes their names were switched.
After the photo time, the stage began. The B-track did not contain as much difficult choreography as the debut song.
“Woah, is he the main vocalist?”
His face doesn’t look like he can sing, though? The reporter who took the stage photo muttered lowly. To be honest, reporters are not very interested in the debut group.
At least there are the child actor Jo Tae Woong, Kim Hyun who has some fandom after appearing in survival programs, and Choi Ian who is a hot topic recently after appearing as a minor role in a drama, so people came more than usual.
All they wanted was to get some views by pulling aggro with nice photos and titles.
“Isn’t the feeling good?”
“He also sings and dances well.”
A reporter muttered as he saw Ian. Since Ian made his face known first through a minor role debut with a flawless actor face, he thought Ian is just a visual in the group. But, what’s this. The completeness of the stage was high. Reporters busily pressed the shutter.
The stage was over until the debut song. The venue became dark and the music video of the debut song was transmitted on the screen. Meanwhile, the staff busily carried tables and chairs.
“Woah, my legs are shaking. Hyung, I didn’t make a mistake, right?”
“Good job. Seo Dam is stained with grass again.”
The members quickly wiped off their sweat and corrected their makeup in the meantime. The cold performance hall was already getting hot due to the heating.
After the announcer’s hosting, the members went back to the stage and sat in the designated seats.
“Now, let’s start the interview. So many people raised their hands. We’ll go in order from the front.”
The staff hurriedly took the microphone to the reporter. Most of the reporters raised their hands, so they had to proceed quickly. Time was running out.
“First of all, congratulations on your debut. I’d like to hear how you feel about your debut. I’d also like to know if there’s any part of the debut album that members participated in.”
The first was an easy question. While the members simply took notes, Park Jin Hyuk held the microphone first.
“It feels like it’s now the beginning. I and Joo Hyuk hyung participated in composing the B-track song.”
After that, the questions continued. When asked what they cared most about when debuting, Kim Ju Young and Kim Hyun answered about dance.
“As far as I know, Kim Young Jun of ‘I-One’ was in the final debut group. Is there anything you want to say to I-One Kim Young Jun?”
‘Look at that level of question.’
Of course, they didn’t just ask favorable questions. The fact that their debut was delayed because of Kim Young Jun was well known to those who might know on this floor. What kind of answer does he want? The members managed their facial expressions. Lee Joo Hyuk quickly grabbed the microphone.
“I want to tell him to do his best in his respective places.”
“Okay, I hope you only ask the questions about the group please.”
The announcer quickly organized the situation. Jin added a witty comment, saying that he is good at work.
“I have a question for Choi Ian ssi. Did you get a lot of help from Jo Tae Woong, who was a child actor when you started acting?”
Jo Tae Woong held his chin and looked at Ian right next to him. His eyes were full of expectations. The camera shutter beeps quickly accordingly.
“Rather than help, he encouraged me before filming. ‘Your face is probable, so it’s okay to act badly.’ I remember him saying something like that.”
“Does it mean that Jo Tae Woong ssi previously thought that Choi Ian ssi would be worse at acting than yourself?”
The question was passed on to Jo Tae Woong. Jo Tae Woong answered like flowing water as expected of an experienced person.
“I’m the type that doesn’t have complicated thoughts like that. It’s only been a year since Ian was a trainee, and he also didn’t take that much acting lessons. And I also thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be okay if he couldn’t do at least one thing with this face?’.”
“We also sometimes get surprised when seeing him. Because he’s so handsome.”
When Kim Ju Young added a witty reply, the members laughed haha. After that, time passed by with questions and answers. The announcer, who was checking the time with a watch, organized the situation.
“Because of time, we’ll stop taking questions and end this with a short photo time for the last time.”
The members got up and headed in front of the podium. Ian smiled deeply while looking at the red cross shapes.
The press showcase was successfully completed.
***
“Guys, good job!”
“CEO Lee is here? Were we okay?”
“It was perfect!”
The CEO welcomed the members with open arms. He immediately led the members to the waiting room, where the table was filled with lunch boxes brought by each parent.
“What’s all this?”
“Woah, it’s home meals…”
“Mom!”
And there were family members. Surprisingly, Ian’s parents were also there. Ian honestly did not expect his parents to come. This is because his parents said they couldn’t come in advance because they were busy with work.
“Son.”
“You’re here? You said you couldn’t come.”
“We were going to surprise our son.”
However, when he saw his parents’ faces, Ian also looked relaxed, approached them, and hugged them briefly.
Perhaps because he had adapted to this body now, so he unconditionally thought of Choi Ian’s memory when thinking of the past. Kim Yong Min’s days remained as if he had a dream.
“We didn’t prepare anything because we came in a hurry, but everyone else prepared this much.”
Ian’s mother smiled awkwardly. Ian smiled brightly, saying he was happy just for them to come.
Ian’s father said they had bought gifts for the members instead and held out shopping bags. The shopping bag had the logo of a luxury brand that anyone had heard of at least once.
‘Their pocket is deep too.’
［A golden spoon with this face. Balance patch please.]
Jin grumbled lowly.
The families gathered in the waiting room and talked to each other in a quite harmonious atmosphere. Perhaps because of that, the tension quickly dissipated.
It’s 7 pm, an hour after the release of the song. Finally, the music chart rankings will be counted.
‘What place do you expect?’
［I’m looking at 120th.]
‘Is that also data from the previous life?’
［No, I calculated it with big data.]
Ian came out of the waiting room, leaving behind the members who were still busy spending time with their families.
‘I think it’ll come out higher than that.’
［Won’t you be discouraged if you expect it for nothing?]
Ian looked dissatisfied. A lot of reporters came and tickets for the showcase were sold out, but I can’t have this much hope? And there were also small responses in the community these days.
As he walked a little in the hallway, the agency employees were also holding their cell phones and checking the rankings. Ian dug between them.
“What is our rank?”
“Ian, don’t worry about it. Just go inside and rest. You’re going to perform soon.”
“Huh?”
It was a concerned voice in case he would be disappointed with the low ranking. However, the employee next to him who was scrolling the chart exclaimed lowly.
“There is! Top 100!”
“What? Really?!”
“Show it to me too, please.”
［For real?]
At the end of the TOP 100 chart, Awy’s name was listed. Entering 96th. 5,300 hearts. It was a pretty good ranking on the chart lined up by idols who had a comeback.
Ian put his face on the phone screen shown by the staff. It’s really there!
“How did it go?”
Unknown when they came out, the members flocked. In case it was lower than expected and the family was worried so they came out like Ian.
“9…96th place!”
“Daebak!”
Even so, it would be a ranking that would be swept away for an hour, but the members jumped in joy.
Compared to popular female idols, male idols tend to climb on music charts only when their fandom is strong. That is why girl groups are weak in albums and boy groups are weak in music sources1Listeners and downloads in music streaming services like Melon, genie, or Spotify..
And except for large agencies, it was not easy for small-medium idols to make their debut song chart-in. The same goes for Awy of the past. But now it was different. The only thing that has changed from the past is Choi Ian’s joining.
It’s heard that Ian’s brief appearance in High School 2017 also became a hot topic and ratings rose slightly. Black Out ended at No. 1 viewer ratings of the same period. Not only that but there are also talks about doing a season 2. And now also the music charts.
‘Am I really something like a lucky totem?’
［Luck f***ing ruined the game.]
***
They managed to calm down and held the fan showcase at 8 pm. Unlike the press showcase, a ballad song was added, behind-the-scenes of the music video and pre-debut videos were also transmitted in between.
‘There are already fans who take videos2 찍덕(jjik.deok). An abbreviation of 찍던 덕후 literally means ‘shooting fan’. Can refer to both who take just pictures or videos. .’
It was Jin’s ability. The red cross is taking photos and the yellow triangle is taking videos. Ian danced while staring at the triangular shapes.
Fancams are important. Some idols have succeeded in running the chart backward with fancams. And other broadcasters have also been swept with fancams since P.I.
Originally, individual photos or recordings were prohibited for performances, but now the staff in the performance hall looked around half-heartedly.
It is probably an order given by the agency. It was tacitly allowed to take pictures.
［A lot of fans who take pictures have come. Not only you but there are also a lot of people shooting the other kids.]
Even if the agency releases photos and videos, how much will it release? Photos and videos full of individual realism become baits3 떡밥(ddeok.bap) or rice cake. Sometimes refer to spoilers, sometimes just refer to contents. So, in Korean idol communities/forums, fans refer to the lack of activities as being hungry or being full when there are so many things their bias does. and contents. Of course, the agency will hold on to it hard to sell DVDs on its own if they become famous later, but they pretend not to know as they are still rookies.
Ian sometimes gestured to the camera filming him as if he knew it. He took the concept of ‘Are you filming me?’ and created a pure rookie look. It was the moment when his nickname ‘hawk eye’ was added later.