Before the full-fledged year-end stage preparations.
The head of the Music Performance Directing Team asked for our opinions.
“Kids, how do you want the stage directed?”
Usually, every year-end stage was overseen and directed by the agency’s Music Performance Directing Team or an outsourced directing team.
Rather than voicing opinions, the members simply did their best with the arranged performance.
But this time, there was an exceptional move to reflect our opinions as well.
The agency said this:
“If you put on flashy stages at the WMA and MWMA, this time we’d like you to direct a stage that brings out the members’ unique personalities and atmosphere—one that showcases the abilities you debuted with through the survival program.”
Drawing on the experience they had quickly accumulated, the members immediately voiced their opinions, agreeing and cooperating.
Of course, I also gave my opinion without pushing back.
As I was gradually learning the ways of the entertainment industry, I could see the agency’s true intentions.
“They invested a lot of resources for the flashy stages at the WMA and MWMA, but they’ll cut investment for the three major broadcasters’ year-end stages.”
In other words, they poured resources into the WMA and MWMA where the parent company’s pride was on the line, but this time they intended to reduce investment.
Not that I thought the agency was wrong.
And for good reason.
“Seven disbands in a year and a half.”
A time-limited project girl group’s limitations.
The agency was ultimately a business enterprise that had to turn a profit, so if they invested, they needed a return commensurate with that investment.
That was why they didn’t spare investment in songs and music videos where investment directly translated into operating profit.
Our song was actually a collaboration with an overseas composer.
And the music video was packed with CG that clearly showed money had been poured into it.
But the year-end stage was different.
Investment here didn’t yield directly calculable value.
What could be gained from year-end stage investment was additional recognition.
But Seven already had sufficiently high recognition.
Even if we raised it further, we were a group that would disband anyway. There was no guarantee that the resources and financial investment poured into today’s stage would return as output within a year and a half.
In the end, the three major broadcasters’ year-end stages essentially had to be decorated with nothing but the members’ own abilities and atmosphere—the essence of the stage.
To concentrate attention on the members themselves, it demanded stronger performances, choreography, and costumes from the members themselves.
The past while had been devoted to practicing higher-difficulty choreography and performances.
Finally, the first year-end stage on a major broadcaster approached.
The first among the three major broadcasters’ year-end stages was the KBC Music Festival, where the joint performance of “Makmakz,” which I was part of, would be staged.
One day before the stage.
Rehearsal was in full swing at Gocheok Sky Dome.
“Seven, we’re beginning rehearsal.”
A small number of choreographer dancers and our members on stage.
Compared to other teams hiring dozens of backup dancers to create a grand stage, it was a shabby sight.
But instead, it certainly had the effect of focusing more attention on us.
Especially during Sera unnie’s high note part, transposed up by two keys, and main dancer Chaerin unnie’s acrobatic choreography, staff exclamations could be heard here and there.
I could confirm this while monitoring as well.
“Official Seven Coolness Rank #1, I, Jeon Harang, acknowledge it. Gong Chaerin, you? Damn cool.”
“I am pretty cool.”
“But since when are you the official #1 coolest? I’m right here, Kim Seoyun.”
“Kim Seoyun, you’re the cool beauty #1.”
“Okay.”
Should I learn some acrobatics too?
I want to do something cool as well…
“Dohee, how was unnie’s high note…?”
“Good. The best. Great.”
“Hehe.”
She likes it.
“Dohee, what about me!?”
“Unnie, well…”
Yeeun unnie pouted.
And muttered quietly.
“…Makes me wonder how great she thinks she is…”
…?
“Lee Dohee! How could you do that to our Yeeun! Our Yeeun did so well!”
“Hana unnie~”
Touched, Yeeun unnie hugged Hana unnie tightly.
Of course, Hana unnie wasn’t just being nice.
“But you should’ve done better. Why didn’t you look at the camera here? Can’t you do it properly?”
“Hing…”
Anyway, while monitoring, I became confident that we could put on a sufficiently cool stage.
And for the second rehearsal, entering once again for precise camera direction.
“Are you okay!?”
“Dohee, are you okay? Can you move?”
“Stop the rehearsal!”
The commotion around me and my throbbing ankle.
“I’m okay.”
I think all the stretching I’ve done since I was little helped.
Seeing that it’s only this bad after twisting so sharply.
Even though it throbs a lot…
Couldn’t I recover within a few days?
The problem is tomorrow’s stage.
“Dohee’s shoe just broke, stylist team please come up.”
For the direction, the song was rearranged into a rock version.
Except for Chaerin unnie, who was doing acrobatics to match the strong image, everyone was wearing high heels.
And in the dance break added during the arrangement process, a fierce group dance rarely seen in girl groups was added.
It was a house dance style choreography.
Among the moves was one where you lift your knees and jump in place.
The heel of the shoe twisted and broke upon landing.
My ankle twisting was a bonus.
“For today, we’ll proceed with rehearsal excluding Dohee. Dohee, go to the hospital for treatment.”
***
The KBC Music Festival lineup was revealed.
-Can’t wait for the collab
-What’s the concept lol girl group maknaes together will be so cute
-Upvote if you think Dohee will dominate visually lol
└No trolling, we fans respect all other groups~
-Sunsu Sonyeo Lucy + Seven Dohee face combo *gasp*
-I don’t get how Sunsu Sonyeo won Rookie of the Year, but the collab is a separate matter~
Seven’s fans were looking forward to not only Seven’s stage but Dohee’s joint stage as well.
Surprisingly, chemistry with other girl groups was also something fans enjoyed.
Most of all, unique cover stages that broke away from existing concepts were a visual delight.
With one day left until the year-end stage, fans’ anticipation had reached its peak.
But then out of nowhere, a post was uploaded on social media.
[I’m staff related to the Music Festival. Seven’s Lee Dohee probably won’t be on stage.]
Shoe heel broke during stage rehearsal, ankle twisted severely. Rehearsal cancelled and went to hospital.
(Picture)
+This is the rehearsal stage
Though it was an unverified post except for a staff certification photo, it became an issue for Seven fans residing in the community.
-Did she really get hurt ㅠㅠ
└If she got hurt, they would’ve put out a notice, right?
└Yeah, if she got hurt the agency would’ve posted
└But just in case ㅠ
-Of all times, the year-end ㅠㅠ Dohee, don’t be in pain ㅠㅠ
-If she’s hurt, I hope she just rests. Don’t perform while in pain for no reason
Part 1 of the KBC Music Festival began with skepticism.
Around the time famous trot singers and idols took turns on stage, capturing the attention of all age groups.
The MCs, a famous actor and a top-tier female idol, came up to the stage.
[Songhyun: Jini, that was a really cool stage, right?]
And they proceeded according to the cue sheet.
[Songhyun: Yes! The first project group prepared for the KBC Music Festival!]
[Jini: It’s a dream combination only possible at the KBC Music Festival, right?]
The camera showed the members beside them.
[Two, three! Hello! We are the maknaes of the girl group maknaes! We are Makmakz!]
-Is Dohee okay?
-What, looks like Dohee is fine after all. As expected, shouldn’t have believed that troll post.
-Wow, Dohee’s visual today though ㅠㅠ She renews her prime every day
-Honestly upvote if you think Dohee dominated visually lol
└Hey now
└lol Look at you unable to deny it
└lol Lucy of Sunsu Sonyeo put up a good fight, agreed
-Is Dohee in Y2K fashion today? So cute lol
└I know right, how do leg warmers suit her so well lol
[Songhyun: Haha, so cute. Then shall we greet each member one by one?]
[Hello, I’m Minju, the maknae of Navia~]
[Hewwo! I’m Natsu, the maknae of Catch One!]
[And Lucy, the maknae of Sunsu Sonyeo~]
[I’m Lee Dohee, the maknae of Seven!]
[Jini: You match so well, like you’re members of one group. Did the four of you sync well during practice?]
.
.
.
[Jini: And Lucy, in Sunsu Sonyeo you were the cute maknae, right~? But here you’re the unnie!?]
[Lucy: Yes, I was two years older than Dohee~ I was so happy because she’s such a cute dongsaeng!]
-lol She really seems to genuinely find her cute
└If it were me, with a cute maknae with aegyo and that face, I’d be cuddling her all day lol
-lol Dohee is the maknae wherever she goes~
-Isn’t she the youngest among current girl groups?
└Yes, that’s right
└Dohee is probably the youngest debut in history lol
***
The waiting room after finishing the Makmakz stage.
Taking off the leg warmers worn during the stage—that is, ankle warmers—bare ankles were revealed.
The warm ankle was quite red and swollen.
Kim Seoyun making a worried expression.
“Ah, look at this. I told you to just rest.”
Somehow these kinds of expressions are always unfamiliar and cringeworthy, so I want to avoid them.
“I’m fine, okay? No need to worry.”
“Hana unnie! Her ankle is swollen!”
I had been using my right foot as a pivot and avoiding my left, but inevitably some force went to my left foot as well, so it seems it had swollen slightly.
Hana unnie approached, touching my ankle, and spoke in an angry tone.
“That’s exactly why I told you to rest.”
“Unnie, more than that, don’t you think my ankle is really pretty too?”
With even pretty ankles, I could be called an ankle goddess.
“Sigh… Chaerin, go tell the team leader that Dohee will be excluded from the next stage because of her ankle.”
Are they doctors or what.
“It’s fine, it’s just one stage anyway. There were sunbaenims who finished the stage even with torn ligaments.”
Compared to that, mine is just a sprain.
At this level, if I spray some pain relief and tape it up, I think I can cover it enough.
They already changed the shoes from heels to comfortable sneakers because of me; I don’t want to cause any more nuisance.
“And more than anything, if I perform like this, later an article with the headline ‘Idol Member’s Fighting Spirit Through Injury’ will come out, creating a favorable story.”
“Sigh…”
Because I’d be sorry to show an incomplete stage that we’ve practiced for weeks just because of me.
More than that, me thinking of the members even while in pain.
Pretty cool.
I guess I really do have what it takes to be a leader.
Even I can tell I’m so perfect it’s almost inhuman.
Hoo…
“Ah, she’s making that weird face again.”