The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 147

I attentively listened while carefully observing the presentation file the planning director had opened.

“First, we thought carefully about the message you left in your debut song 〈Chronic〉. We decided that instead of an excessive worldview that risked causing severe fatigue to consumers, the method of creating a subtly permeating worldview worked. We used the concept of ‘time’ to form unity between fans and you, increasing immersion. This point was probably the biggest success factor of the 1st album, we gave feedback.”

The start was decent.

They indirectly acknowledged that they had overreached regarding worldview and concepts in the first meeting.

It was also a comment acknowledging that the solution we had proposed was ultimately effective in raising market indicators.

“So we concluded that for this comeback too, the most valid approach was extending the message in 〈Chronic〉 within a range that wouldn’t carelessly break the bond between fans and CENTIX.”

“When you say extension of the message, which part…?”

At Chae Ha-ru’s question, the presentation file moved to the next slide.

I stared at the large text reading [Salvation, After Liberation = ?] and briefly turned my thoughts.

‘…Unexpectedly, it’s going in a direction similar to what I predicted?’

The planning director, who seemed to have come with quite a lot of preparation, adjusted his glasses and continued speaking.

“The message in the lyrics you wrote is about receiving salvation while trapped in time. We judged this to be the most core content. Receiving salvation by flipping the world upside down using the hourglass as an object. Then what kind of story should come after receiving salvation to make fans who were immersed in this happy? I hope you’ll follow along while thinking intensively about this point.”

The presentation screen filled with photos of the dark universe.

“If a being confined somewhere is liberated, we thought finding their ‘identity’ would be a smooth connection. So the symbolism of CENTIX’s second mini album is ‘asking to find who I am,’ and if we combine all the stories that have come out so far—.”

“The entity searching for our identity would also be MILLENNIUM, who flipped the hourglass for us.”

“Exactly.”

When Kang Seon-woo, who had been quietly listening to the explanation, said the correct answer, the planning director snapped his fingers cheerfully.

“After consulting with the A&R team, among the materials mentioned as title track candidates, there was a common opinion that the worldview I just explained was most suitable. So the name of this title track is.”

[Working Title: Find Me]

Below the subtitle, there were templates showing our first activity outfits on one side and the outfits planned for the next concept on the other, categorized in detail.

The differences were obvious at a glance.

While 〈Chronic〉 was generally black-themed with many restraining devices like chokers and harnesses, this 〈Find Me〉 had a very splendid white feeling.

“The costume concept also came from the abstract theory that a liberated soul bears no color. So the concept photo shoot will also go in this direction…”

I briefly recalled the materials like handcuffs and chains I had worn on my wrist during the previous music video filming.

‘If we go this route, the title track atmosphere will probably come out brighter than the rather dark 〈Chronic〉.’

The overall worldview explanation ended and now the presentation moved to the most important supplementary explanation about the song.

“Over the past month, we asked the commissioned composers to create songs with similar vibes. 〈Chronic〉 had a dreamy feeling based on the deep house genre. And if the dreamy feeling highlighted dark aspects, we conceptualized this 〈Find Me〉 as a song where you can taste freshness and refreshment even within the same dreamy line.”

Even within the dreamy descriptor, if the detailed song genre changes, the listener’s impression also changes.

I read the detailed genre marked for 〈Find Me〉 as ‘uptempo-based house, pop-based pluck sound’ and roughly imagined the song’s flow.

Whether he was doing the same thing as me, Kang Seon-woo’s elbow poked my side again.

“It gives a lighter feeling than deep house with a dreamy image being drawn.”

“The beat itself probably won’t be that slow. Looking at it being marked as house genre, the BPM itself will exceed 110.”

“That’s just right. If it just dragged on just because it’s dreamy, it could actually have the opposite effect.”

Indeed, like someone who learned composition at BK, his judgment was quick even looking at such technical terms.

The concept and costumes connecting the worldview in the lyrics he explained earlier didn’t seem distant from the title track atmosphere I could imagine right now.

I had been worried about whether I’d have to squeeze my creativity again like with 〈Chronic〉, but it seemed like that was just groundless anxiety.

‘I don’t know what fruit they ate, but it’s so different from last time.’

We reached the final slide of the presentation.

The planning director, who had been sweating buckets, took a deep breath and pulled out a handkerchief.

“This is as much as I prepared. What are CENTIX’s opinions…?”

At the planning director’s question, the guys who had been earnestly listening to the presentation raised their heads with a start.

And very naturally, they turned their gazes to look at me.

These aren’t baby birds waiting for their mother to bring back food.

“I think it sounds good.”

“…!”

“I also had my own image of the title track that I had drawn before coming to the meeting, but the things you explained aligned similarly with my image, so I was actually surprised.”

This wasn’t something I was saying to encourage the planning director.

It was proven through 〈Chronic〉 that indirectly conveying through materials like objects and lyrics was more effective than forcibly pushing worldviews.

Then logically, if they didn’t adopt this highly effective method for the next album too, they’d be idiots.

To continuously utilize the relationship with fans that we had directly written, they needed to appropriately weave together the words time and liberation. The planning director made rational statements that fell within my prediction range on these points.

‘Honestly, I didn’t know Rave Entertainment’s impression would change this much in such a short period.’

While I was slightly bewildered by Rave Entertainment’s remarkable progress, the planning director who received the okay sign let out a breath full of relief.

“That’s really fortunate. Actually, the overall decision-making authority for this project was entirely in my hands.”

“Overall decision-making authority?”

“Yes, I don’t know if I should say this…”

The planning director wiped his sweat while glancing sideways at the meeting room window.

“The first debut album work had a lot of decision-making authority from the director and division head directly under the CEO. Then, as you all know, the overall outline was changed through internal meetings, and as a result, it was a huge commercial success, so this time the decision-making authority fell to us.”

“Ah…”

While the other members opened their eyes wide as if half-understanding, I immediately realized why such a quality difference had suddenly occurred.

As expected, shit is made at the top and it’s our job to clean it up.

Although he didn’t reveal many details, based on the planning director’s words, CENTIX’s debut song initial concept probably originated from Go Hyeong-seok CEO’s right-hand man.

The nonsensical hero concept that had a history of spectacular failure at other agencies.

If we, as artists, hadn’t strongly appealed and changed direction, we would have almost sunk before even properly setting sail.

‘Still, it’s definitely fortunate if it’s proven by results. After all, CEO Go Hyeong-seok is also in a position of chasing money.’

Initial sales of 730,000 copies and achieving a triple crown on public broadcasting created the modifier of being ‘an album that sells well in the market.’

CEO Go Hyeong-seok, who was in the position of pursuing profit as a business owner, couldn’t help but acknowledge this.

That’s why he granted the decision-making authority for this album to the planning director who had proven his ability with results—that is, money.

Looking at just the immediate situation, it was fortunate, but…

Looking at it from a different perspective, it’s definitely not a situation to laugh about.

‘We don’t know when those distinguished people whose hobby is causing diarrhea might interfere with our albums again later.’

The conclusion is that we absolutely must not let our guard down.

I slyly turned my head to the side and saw that Kang Seon-woo was also making an expression quite different from usual with his lips pressed together.

Just because he shows a clueless character all the time doesn’t mean anything—he’s someone whose intuition is almost on par with mine.

“Si-hwan.”

“What?”

Kang Seon-woo whispered while lowering his voice as much as possible.

“We absolutely cannot fail.”

“…I agree.”

“This album, the next album, and the album after that. We absolutely must succeed. I think we need to decide somehow, even if we have to do self-production.”

Because if we slip up even once, the decision-making authority might disappear again.

To not lose the initiative that fell into the artists’ own hands, we absolutely had to stake our lives on making this comeback successful.

I silently nodded and lightly tapped Kang Seon-woo’s shoulder.

“Like you said before, we have to.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s sleep when we’re dead.”

“I definitely didn’t say it that creepily—!”

For one month, there’s no answer but rolling around until our bodies are crushed to pieces.

* * *

It was truly a time of hardship like no other.

Anyone who has been a fan of idols would relate.

The gap period between active and inactive periods is unavoidable force majeure.

But to overcome that force majeure requires tremendous mental strength.

Days continued where one couldn’t help but feel like searching for an oasis in a barren desert.

Most MILLENNIUM had somewhat anticipated this.

CENTIX, who had provided joy by filling all schedules tightly from October to December, would obviously soon enter tempering for their next comeback.

That they would have to endure somehow during that unknown period of time.

However, no matter how much they tightened their mental strength, the devastation of the first hiatus period since CENTIX’s debut hit harder than expected.

—I don’t even smoke, but why do I feel like I’m experiencing withdrawal symptoms… My legs are shaking, my hands are trembling, I can’t sleep, wah I miss our kids so much T_T

└That’s typical CENTIX gap period aftereffects, you’re fine teacher, I’m already on week 2, it’s normal

└No, I really prepared myself properly, you know T_T. The kids threw so many hints after debut that I was living happily, but I knew the gap period would be completely different so I steeled myself to live in reality, but steeling myself my ass, my heart is getting ground up like pork cutlet

—Real-time personal status: ISL 2 10th complete marathon viewing

└Whoa at this point you’d probably know what came out in which episode even in your sleep, right?

└LOL But why does it get more mentally painful the more I watch it…

└Originally you have to do everything in moderation, if you only look at your bias photos all day during gap periods, withdrawal symptoms get more severe lol

Just like how living too affluent a city life and then suddenly falling into the wilderness makes that gap feel even stronger.

MILLENNIUM was trapped in exactly that dilemma.

Some people even said “they should have moderately released content during active periods” to the point where the absence of new content had completely overwhelmed the hardcore fans hooked on CENTIX, draining all their tears and snot.

Still, they thought the private messages through Milky Way and occasional member selfies on official accounts would become the driving force to endure this difficult time.

But because CENTIX had shown over 200% of their main job genius appearance last year, people came to only wait anxiously for comeback-related news.

—If it’s mid-January, some articles should come out, right?

└If articles come out then, that means February comeback, but would that be possible…?

└I’ve seen this question hundreds of times already,,, rationally I say it’s impossible but my heart says it’s possible at this point

└I’m just refreshing official accounts and Bluebird all day, at this rate my thumb print is going to wear off lol

—Please, anyone, I wish someone would quickly end this pain, honestly I don’t want much really. Just drop one concept photo tomorrow and leave, okay? Please?

└???: Picked it up on the way

└In the current state, if Hyeong-seok posts that kind of comment and drops a concept photo, I could lick his toes for 24 hours

└Crazy LOL. Really insane fangirling

When mid-January, mentioned as the final boss of happiness circuits, arrived, even MILLENNIUM who had tried their hardest not to expect too much began to get infected.

Since there hadn’t been even a trace of CENTIX in entertainment news until now, they prayed with even more desperate and sincere hearts for something to come out.

On January 19th at 6 PM, a notification was created on CENTIX’s official NeoTube account.

[CENTIX 2nd Mini Album Trailer]

—??

—This is fucking insane

—Wow, no, why is this actually real?

—???? I was so shocked I came back to check the phone notification again

—Wow the prayer posts actually worked LMAO Hyeong-seok bro, thank you!!

All MILLENNIUM demonstrated their greatest concentration in recent times while watching the 2-minute trailer video.

And when the video was passing the halfway point, a frenzied retweet party began especially in one particular group.

[Anyone who hasn’t seen this?? Come watch right now, it’s insane, Ryu Si-hwan dyed his hair]