-["Today, I'd like to share news of Vanguard's debut showcase. Vanguard will be holding their debut showcase at Gocheok Dome."]
At Kang Rojun's briefing in the video, Choi Rina seemed genuinely surprised and covered her mouth with one hand.
"Holy crap, that's huge."
Hearing her, the manager in the passenger seat turned his head.
"Huh? What did you say??"
Choi Rina quickly shook her head.
"No! Nothing!"
"What was that?"
Quickly pulling her gaze away from the manager, Choi Rina looked back at Vanguard on the screen. More precisely, at Rojun. Her eyes were still wide.
'This is insane, seriously, seriously huge. They're debuting at Gocheok Dome??!'
She knew Gocheok Dome as well. All the more because she had thrown the ceremonial first pitch at a game there around last year. Even if not for that, Gocheok Dome was fairly famous in the entertainment industry.
'I've heard of super popular idols holding concerts at Gocheok, but isn't this the first time ever for a group that's only just debuting?'
What Choi Rina murmured inwardly was correct. Gocheok Dome was a place famous idols occasionally used as a concert venue. But there weren't that many, only a handful. Even now, filling Gocheok to capacity was enough to make headlines. And there was absolutely no precedent for a rookie idol group debuting at Gocheok Dome.
It was the kind of scoop that could be used without the slightest issue.
Just then, Kang Rojun in the video spoke again.
-["We're planning to make it feel like a debut showcase mixed with a concert. Please look forward to our debut show-con at Gocheok Dome!"]
Not just a debut showcase, but a debut show-con combined with a concert format. Choi Rina's already wide eyes doubled in size. Well, considering it was none other than Gocheok Dome, ending it with just a showcase would feel lacking.
'Ah... I totally. Totally, totally want to go!'
Without realizing it, Choi Rina pictured the magnificently decorated Gocheok Dome and heard the screams of more than twenty thousand people ringing through it. Just imagining it sent a shiver through her.
"...I'm getting a ticket somehow, seriously."
After that, the video wrapped up with Kang Rojun and the other Vanguard members asking for the fans' support and sharing what they'd been up to recently.
Choi Rina wasn't the only one watching the video.
Vanguard was nearing five million subscribers, and tens of thousands of people were watching the video at the same time as her. Naturally, comments began flooding in almost instantly.
-....Huh??? Gocheok Dome???!
-Wow, debuting at Gocheok Dome... badass as hell
-Gocheok Dome?? Holy holy holy holy!!
-Gasp
-But why did the guys get so damn handsome?? Especially Rojun, his face is insane
-Wowㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Vanguard's form is seriously crazyㅋㅋㅋ Never even thought of Gocheok Domeㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Guess it was right to stan Vanguardㅋㅋㅋㅋ Isn't this the first time in the idol scene for a debut to be at Gocheok??
-There'll be a seat for me among those 20,000, right...??
-Gocheok Dome debut;;;
-Oh, that's sick
-GN is seriously doing a good jobㅋㅋㅋ Honestly, I thought they'd obviously start on music shows, but Gocheok Dome for a debut show-con is really........
-ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ The majesty is insane
·
·
·
·
They were all swept up in excitement, their reactions exploding. Shock, admiration, exclamations, high praise, anticipation, and so on. Of course, not all the reactions were good. There were plenty of malicious comments too.
-They're overdoing itㅋㅋㅋㅋ Gocheok has over 20,000 seats, they'll fill maybe a few thousand and flop
-↑I don't think these guys are going to fail to fill itㅎㅎㅎ
-As ifㅋㅋㅋ Even popular singers barely manage to fill it
-Agreed, Vanguard's acting a bit too full of themselves
-Here come the morons again
-Just don't feed the trolls
But they were quickly buried by Vanguard's fans. What was interesting was that quite a few Japanese comments could be seen as well. It made sense. From the start, every video on Vanguard's channel had Japanese subtitles as well as English subtitles added. At the news of Vanguard's debut show-con, the Japanese fans were also bouncing with excitement.
-I'm definitely going to Korea this time to see Vanguard!!!
In any case, though not to everyone, the bait of Vanguard's debut show-con had been tossed to the fans, and it spread in an instant across social media, communities, and more.
GN Entertainment was monitoring this situation in real time.
Especially from this point on, the capabilities of PR and marketing were important. The blazing firepower had to be fed as much fuel as possible, without interruption, if it was to be maintained for a long time. There was no way the PR and marketing team of a major company like GN Entertainment wouldn't know that, and Department Head Kim Gibaek, who had come by to check on the situation, was satisfied.
'Okay, the engine's properly started.'
In reality, the PR and marketing team looked busier than ever.
"The video views passed 700,000 before even an hour was up!!"
"Keep putting out Shorts! Start sharing on Vanguard's official Instagram too!"
"Yes, sir!!"
"What are the reporters doing?!"
"Articles are starting to go up!"
"They're slow as hell! Push them!! I told them to stand by, so what were they doing?!"
There were plenty of prepared sources regarding Vanguard's debut show-con. GN Entertainment had established a strategy of starting with Gocheok Dome and then slowly releasing the remaining sources, and this was currently the early stage of that strategy. So for now, they had to draw in as much attention as possible.
There was a saying that idols lived by issues and died by issues.
It meant that in the entertainment industry, idols were the most sensitive to buzz. Of course, Vanguard was a group that had carried issues around with them from the very start, but they had not conquered the entire world. Groups with far thicker fandoms than theirs were everywhere.
"There are lots of idols debuting and making comebacks! If we do this half-heartedly, it'll cool down fast! Pour it on so fast they can't think!"
Now that the floodgates had opened, it was war from this point on. They had to fire off massive artillery, as provocative, salty, sweet, and spicy as possible, enough to leave the press and public opinion dizzy.
Soon, Department Head Kim Gibaek left the PR and marketing team.
-Slide.
He moved slowly but steadily. The overall atmosphere at GN Entertainment was bustling, but the one place that was cold and deep was the recording studio. The place being handled by Song Mingeun and the producing team. And in the recording booth, the Vanguard members could already be seen singing the song "Flying Bell" for several hours.
-♬♪
Song Mingeun was a veteran through and through, known as something like a domestic legend.
"Sihu, that Flying just now was good, but the Bell part was a little high. Lower it by about two tones."
"Yes, sir!"
So he was merciless when it came to producing. During Geubaekpeu, Vanguard had been amateurs, but the Vanguard of now was on the verge of becoming pros. There was no such thing as doing things moderately. At the same time, Song Mingeun noticed the boys' growth.
'Overall, the kids' tension has gotten better. Well, GN is meticulous, so that's obvious, but Rojun... compared to the others, his presence has grown much bigger.'
Department Head Kim Gibaek had to let them know that the world was currently buzzing, but for now, he quietly watched Vanguard's recording.
'It would only get in the way to ruin the mood here.'
The recording of the final song on Vanguard's debut album. That recording of "Flying Bell" was only wrapped up late at night. Thanks to that, every schedule the Vanguard members were supposed to handle today was pushed back.
But what did that matter?
"Thank you for your hard work!!"
"You all worked hard!"
The fact that the recording of their debut songs had finished without any issues was more important than anything else. The vocal recordings for all three songs had just been completed, but for the producing team, the real game began now. They had mountains of work to do, from session recordings to mixing, mastering, and more. In any case, as the Vanguard members barely managed to emerge from the recording booth, Department Head Kim Gibaek gave them a frail smile.
"Everyone still alive?"
The members, wilted with exhaustion, answered with difficulty.
"...Yes."
Kang Rojun, at least, was lively.
'Whew— that was tough. It's already night? Time flew like crazy.'
Only then, after checking his phone, Song Mingeun shouted at the Vanguard members, his belly fat jiggling.
"You, you guys are debuting at Gocheok Dome?!!"
Afterward.
The Vanguard members left the recording studio and got into the van headed for their dorm. It was already late at night, and tomorrow they had to go to work early in the morning again. Even if they went back and slept now, they wouldn't get more than a few hours.
Rojun and the members were full of fatigue, but Department Head Kim Gibaek, sitting in the passenger seat, did not lose his feeble smile.
"Hm— this didn't weaken you, did it? Once promotions start in earnest, you'll be able to count on one hand the days you go back to the dorm. Right now is happiness."
"..."
"..."
The boys had more or less sensed it too. That it was only because it was now that they could sleep at all. Still, Department Head Kim Gibaek quickly delivered good news to the Vanguard members.
"We revealed today that Vanguard's debut show-con will be held at Gocheok Dome. Everyone, check it."
The Vanguard members' eyes turned round, and as if they had never been tired at all.
"Insane! What's with the video views!!"
"The comments are... even crazier??"
"Articles are exploding like mad too."
"What about our Insta?!"
"I'll check!"
They quickly regained their energy. As expected, for idols, the fans' attention was both medicine and food. Kang Rojun was no different.
'That's strange. Until just now, I really felt like I'd fall asleep the second I lay down, but after seeing the fans' comments, my sleepiness vanished completely.'
In the meantime, Department Head Kim Gibaek briefed the Vanguard members on matters related to the showcase.
"First— the booking for Gocheok Dome is complete. Your debut showcase and concert. In other words, the show-con. As soon as the date is confirmed, we'll begin stage construction."
Around this point, not only Rojun but Sihu, Kangmin, and Dokyeong's eyes began to sparkle. Department Head Kim Gibaek continued explaining with a faint smile.
"The choreography for all three songs is finished too. I checked the videos the choreography team sent, and they came out killer. Originally, you had a meeting with the choreography team today, but the recording ran long, so we pushed it to tomorrow morning. You'll check the choreography and go straight into practice."
After the talk of choreography, Department Head Kim Gibaek moved on to the music video matter.
"The music video storyboards have almost all come in too, so the confirmed dates should come out soon. Hm— more important than anything is Vanguard's condition and ability to digest everything. Depending on your condition, the confirmed date may move up, or it may be delayed a little."
However, Department Head Kim Gibaek was certain that with Vanguard's current energy, things might move up, but they would not be delayed.
"Additionally, there's something to tell you about the debut show-con— at the show-con, aside from the debut songs, you'll also be showing other songs as event stages. After all, it's a debut show-con being held at Gocheok Dome; you can't do only the three debut songs, can you?"
Kang Rojun was quick to ask.
"If it's other songs, what kind?"
"It's not confirmed yet, but every song you've handled so far is a candidate. Geubaekpeu, or in Rojun's case, even 'Rental Lover.' Solos, duets, group songs. Once any song is confirmed, I'll let you know right away. The show-con's cue sheet will follow the basics, but the scale will be bigger."
An ordinary idol showcase usually consisted of a stage, talk, stage, event game, stage, talk and communication with the audience, video screening, and then another stage. Adding a concert to that meant increasing the number of songs they would show.
After arriving at the dorm, the Vanguard members did not wash up and immediately pass out.
"The communities are blowing up like crazy??!"
"Gocheok Dome really is a big deal."
They gathered in twos and threes in the living room, busy checking reactions on YouTube, social media, communities, and so on. Sihu, Kangmin, and Dokyeong were more excited than ever.
"Ah— but there are lots of hate comments too."
"Some people are openly cursing."
"Ha, I want to reply."
Kang Rojun, sitting in the center, calmly settled the members down.
"Ignore the hate comments. They're doing it because they're jealous."
"R-right??"
"Yeah."
"Come to think of it, you've always had the most hate comments, Rojun hyung, right? How do you ignore them?"
Rojun shrugged with an expression that said it wasn't particularly difficult.
"I'm used to them."
Sihu, slightly surprised, asked back.
"To being cursed at?"
"Yeah."
It was an answer that included even the days when he had been hideous, but the expressionless Dokyeong interpreted it in a different direction and nodded profoundly.
"Rojun hyung is insanely freaking handsome. Of course people must've been jealous as hell."
Like that, the members chattered until 2 a.m., and only fell asleep at 2:30. They woke up four hours later. Around 6:40, Department Head Kim Gibaek appeared at the dorm once again.
"All right— let's go."
The first one to come out of the room was Kang Rojun. His hair was a complete mess, but Department Head Kim Gibaek gave him a double thumbs-up.
"Rojun-nim, even with greasy hair, your visuals don't die."
Now more or less used to compliments on his appearance, Rojun answered with a small nod.
"Thank you. I'll wake the others up right away."
The Vanguard members, turned into zombies, more or less washed up and quickly left the dorm. They arrived at the company just before 8 in the morning. The place they gathered was a large practice room. The Vanguard boys sat in a row at the back of the practice room, and in front of them, GN Entertainment's in-house choreography team took their places.
Soon.
"We'll start with 'Geurinbi.' For now, just watch."
A dozen or so members of the choreography team.
-♬♪
Began the completed choreography for "Geurinbi."
And in Kang Rojun's eyes.
"..."
There was life.