get-shopping Chapter 165: Show Con (2)
Chapter 165: Show Con (2)
‘GreenBee’, one of Vanguard’s debut songs, spread across the entire Gocheok Dome, where a grand stage had been constructed. At the same time, Vanguard members including Kang Rojun and a dozen or so dancers from the choreography team began their routine.Vanguard’s first rehearsal at the Gocheok Dome.
There were no lights or filming, but the sound was powerful enough to shake the dome. As soon as Vanguard began dancing.
-♬♪
Vanguard’s YouTube filming team got busy. From the preparation process to this rehearsal, all of it was content to be dedicated to their fans.
‘GreenBee’ was characterized by smooth and sensual wave movements.
Including Rojun and the other members, all the dancers on stage clustered together and spread out again like blooming flowers. Then, perfectly timed, Do-kyung stepped forward for the rap part. For reference, this first rehearsal focused more on choreography than vocals, and for both Vanguard and the choreography team, considering it was their first time on the Gocheok Dome stage, their adaptation was quick.
As he controlled the tempo and added wave movements with both arms, Rojun thought to himself.
‘This is intense. It’s totally different from doing it in the practice room.’
He realized clearly that commanding this grand stage was no easy task. The practice room they trained in was large, but compared to the Gocheok Dome, it was like a tiny room. That’s how massive this stage was.
‘I’ve heard that you need to make your movements bigger and more defined on stage, and we did practice that in the latter half. But this feeling… is it pressure? A sense of being overwhelmed?’
Kang Rojun’s choreography was, of course, perfect. He had practiced countless times and had even learned through ‘AI Automation’. However, environmental factors couldn’t be ignored. It felt like this enormous stage, the endlessly spreading Gocheok Dome, was pressing down on his body.
Maybe it was because it was unfamiliar.
Though he had performed on stages before, like the hall from Produce That 100! or mini concerts, he had basically leaped straight to the Gocheok Dome without any middle step.
‘My body feels a bit heavy.’
There were more things to consider than expected. The wider stage flow, the spacing between members and dancers, timing, line of sight, and so on. He was learning more than any other rehearsal, and it was that much more challenging.
That made Kang Rojun trust himself all the more.
On this vast battlefield, his only weapon was himself. This stage was undoubtedly overwhelming and full of discomfort, but even so, Rojun had to approach it with tension as if to devour this Gocheok Dome.
“Phew-”
Align your breathing, extend your arms, plant your feet.
‘Trust what resides in my body. Focus.’
Kang Rojun’s concentration surged. It was the same for the other members, but because the enormous space was unfamiliar, there were small mistakes in various parts of the choreography.
Starting with Si-hoo.
‘Ah! I should’ve moved out a bit more here!’
Even Do-kyung and Kang-min.
‘Ah- damn it, focus!!’
But since it was the first rehearsal, the run didn’t stop even with the members’ mistakes. The decision was to at least push through to the end. Fortunately, no major errors occurred. The choreography rehearsal continued through the second verse of ‘GreenBee’.
-Swish.
Vanguard members and the choreography team gathered at the center of the stage. Rojun, Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung bowed first and apologized.
“We’re sorry!”
“We’re still not fully adjusted, so our bodies feel a bit stiff, sorry.”
The choreography team smiled as if to say it was fine.
“It’s okay. Everyone’s like that at first, that’s why we rehearse.”
“For a first time, it wasn’t bad! We just need to refine it by repeating this process. Let’s go again!”
Once again, ‘GreenBee’ spread across the massive stage.
They repeated this process several times.
Once, twice, three times.
What was interesting was that the more the choreography rehearsal went on, the more visibly improved Vanguard’s movements became. Perhaps riding the flow, the members’ expressions also brightened. Among the dozens of staff members watching Vanguard, Manager Kim Ki-baek stood near the floor seats around the thrust stage.
Watching Vanguard quietly with a subtle expression.
‘They’re good. Quick to adapt too. At first, the coordination was off, but now they’re like fish in water. Well- it’s mainly because the kids are just really talented to begin with.’
Kim Ki-baek then fixed his gaze on Kang Rojun on stage.
‘That one’s definitely born with it. It’s his first time on the Gocheok Dome stage, and yet there are no mistakes, no sign of pressure either. Rather… he seems to be soaring even more than in the practice room.’
The same sentiment was shared by the promotion, marketing, and A&R teams standing on either side of Manager Kim Ki-baek.
“Thankfully, he’s finding his groove quickly.”
“The kids practiced like crazy, but even aside from that, they’ve always had exceptional instincts.”
“Maybe it’s because they come from that variety audition show. They were thrown onto stages from the beginning.”
“Rojun… I feel like he already has that leader’s aura. Is it just me?”
“I totally agree. Even though the other members are making little mistakes, Rojun holds the center so firmly that the others quickly get back on track.”
At that moment.
-Swish.
While the floor seats were buzzing with staff evaluations, a man in a full suit exuding an aura of power approached. It was CEO Ha Seo-hwan, accompanied by his secretary. As soon as he appeared, the staff immediately bowed in greeting, and CEO Ha Seo-hwan stood beside Manager Kim Ki-baek with his arms crossed.
His eyes were fixed on Vanguard on stage.
“……”
Ha Seo-hwan, well-built, said nothing as he quietly watched Vanguard. The group had just started the choreography for ‘Windveil’ following ‘GreenBee’, and as he silently observed the coordination between the members and the choreography team, CEO Ha Seo-hwan slightly curled the corners of his lips.
“If they’re performing at that level on the first day, there should be no problem. The fans will love it.”
Then, turning to Manager Kim Ki-baek, he asked in a low voice,
“The release date for the track is set?”
Unlike the CEO, Kim Ki-baek responded in a voice lacking energy.
“Yes, it’ll be released at 6 p.m. on the day of the debut showcon, April 5.”
A few hours later.
After spending the entire morning rehearsing the choreography for their debut songs, Kang Rojun, the members, and the choreography team were gathered in the backstage waiting room for a short break. They had just finished monitoring the parts they had rehearsed and discussing areas for improvement. Now, they were each doing some mental prep while waiting for their lunch boxes.
The waiting room was noisier than expected.
In the midst of it all, Kang Rojun sat alone at the end of the sofa, looking at his phone. Taking a free moment to check the ‘AI Simulation’ app.
‘A reward came in? Hell yeah.’
While Rojun had been in the middle of rehearsals, the ‘AI Simulation’ had sent a notification.
-[You have achieved the Hidden Mission: ‘First Rehearsal on the Debut Stage!’ A reward of 15 coins has been granted.]
Rojun smirked quietly to himself and scanned his status.
-[User: Kang Rojun / Age: 24 / Height: 186.5 / Desired Occupation: Idol / Coins Owned: 1,692]
-[Passive: Overwhelm / Limit Break]
-[Titles: (Evolved) All-Round Entertainer / (Evolved) World Star / Global Genius+2 / Instrument Master+2]
-[Side Jobs: [1] Screenwriter, [2] Actor, [3] Lyricist, [4] Composer, [5] Producer]
-[Global Languages: [1] Japanese, [2] English]
-[Instruments: [1] Acoustic Guitar, [2] Piano]
Suddenly, his eyes lingered on ‘Desired Occupation: Idol’ in his status.
‘Will that change once I debut?’
Rojun was briefly curious, glanced around at the other members, then quietly moved his index finger to spend coins on enhancing his stats.
-[Appearance (150/150) │ Singing Ability (97.1/150) │ Rap (90.2/150) │ Dance (90.1/150) │ Eloquence (48/150) │ Acting (61.8/150) │ Lyrics Writing (150/150) │ Composition (75.8/150) │ Arrangement (0/150)]
His stats had grown noticeably. He could feel the difference in recent practice. Singing, rap, dance, everything had improved, and his instincts and knowledge had expanded as well. It was as if he had sharpened in the details.
‘Just about to break into the 100s.’
Kang Rojun was now a full-fledged idol, equipped with outstanding skills.
‘Still, it’d be a shame to be satisfied here.’
Soon lowering his phone, Kang Rojun joined the other members and the choreography team to eat their lunch in small groups. Forty minutes later, they were back on the Gocheok Dome stage.
-♬♪
They were scheduled to rehearse all day. Of course, this process would be repeated for over a week. For now, the focus was on choreography, but gradually, vocal rehearsals would be included to prepare for the live stage.
While Vanguard was pouring everything into rehearsals.
The idol scene was in chaos.
Many rookie boy groups and girl groups had debuted.
《Rookie girl group ‘Ronara’ unveils 6 members… Off to a great start!》
《Here to take over the boy group scene! Rookie ‘Leonel’ debuts at No. 21 on the digital chart / Photo》
《[StarTalk] Rookie idols are flooding in, the idol scene is literally a war zone》
Including Neos, several popular idol groups had made comebacks.
《‘Neos’ wraps up successful comeback showcase / Photo》
《‘Neos’ releases official MV, surpasses 2 million views in no time!》
《[Issue Pick] The digital chart ruled by ‘Polaris’ gets flipped with the arrival of ‘Neos’》
《So many great tracks since the beginning of the year… From Polaris to Neos, Essence, Luminis, the digital chart is on fire》
As a result, the music shows at every broadcasting station were packed with rookie or returning idols.
《‘Neos’ kicks off music show promotions today (22nd) with their new song / Photo》
《‘Polaris’ hits No. 1 on music shows right after comeback!》
With this, Vanguard began to be mentioned more frequently everywhere.
There were many factors drawing attention, for better or worse, but the more chaotic the idol scene became, the more curiosity there was about Vanguard’s performance. With the scene in such a state, YouTube was flooded with idol content, and the domestic digital charts were more active than ever.
[1 (new!)] Bloom Me / Neos
[2 (↓1)] Pink echo / Polaris
[3 (new!)] Zero Gravity / Neos
[4 (↓1)] Afterglow / Polaris
[5 (↓3)] Dizzy! / Essence
[6 (-)] Whisper Pop / Ronara
[7 (new!)] Galaxy Flower / Neos
[8 (↑1)] COTTON SKY / Luminis
.
.
.
.
From ranks 1 to 10, the chart was nearly all filled with rookie or comeback idol tracks, and the competition for the top spots on various charts was becoming more intense. Songs related to Produce That 100! were still in the TOP100, but now they had dropped to the mid-rankings or lower.
The only song still holding ground was ‘Bold’, staying at 28th place.
What stood out was Big Star Entertainment’s Neos. Upon releasing their song, they hit No. 1 on several charts. Neos’s current title track was ‘Bloom Me’, composed by the renowned producer Pineon.
Thanks to Neos, composer Pineon was also frequently mentioned.
《Digital Chart No. 1! Neos’s title track ‘Bloom Me’, as expected from top composer Pineon》
As the idol industry grew increasingly cutthroat, time seemed to melt away.
While the scene overheated, Vanguard remained unwavering, devoting themselves entirely to rehearsals. Kang Rojun’s routine stayed the same. He always woke up at 4 a.m., completed his daily missions and necessary tasks, then joined the members to head to Gocheok Dome.
Of course, the members, who noticed Rojun leaving at dawn, also joined him.
“Rojun! Let’s go together!”
“Hyung, me too.”
“I’m going too.”
They began moving with Kang Rojun from 4 a.m. The members, unlike Rojun, started with personal practice.
And just like that, a week was gone.
To be precise, a week and a few days. Before anyone knew it, March had ended and April had arrived. People walking outside wore noticeably lighter clothes, and the wind was growing warmer by the day.
And Vanguard’s rehearsals were reaching their end.
-♬♪
Piano notes spread across the Gocheok Dome stage. Sitting at the white piano was Kang Rojun. After finishing his rehearsal performance, Rojun passed the baton to Do-kyung, who was up next for the solo performance, and began heading to the waiting room where the other members were gathered.
Then he paused.
-Swish.
He turned his head and took in the entire Gocheok Dome with his eyes. The setup for the debut showcon was already complete. Around the seating from the first to the fourth floor, large Vanguard banners that hadn’t been there before were now hanging prominently.
‘…We’re here.’
Today was April 3rd.
Until Vanguard’s debut.
《[Star Photo] ‘Vanguard’, sparking a syndrome, just two days away from entering ‘Gocheok Dome’ / Photo》
《Debuting Vanguard, on the brink of dominating the music scene… Will they become idol legends?》
Only two days remained.