Chapter 208: Family Civil War
Due to Korea's population issues, even with K-pop's immense popularity, Jiang Shu rarely used the phrase “bustling with people” to describe a music show performance.
But today, the audience at this Inkigayo performance stage was absolutely worthy of that description!
“Wow! So many people,” Jiang Shu exclaimed, echoing Zhou Xun.
The cameraman accompanying him aimed his camera at Jiang Shu, but his eyes were also on the sea of people in the audience.
The production team was quite clever; they sold 50% more tickets than the fixed seating capacity, filling the venue by adding small stools.
Popular shows are like this; IZONE's debut also did something similar, but usually, it's mostly fans. This time, however, it was different. Besides Red Velvet fans and solo fans of Bae Joo-hyun and Kang Seul-gi, there were also various casual onlookers and curious spectators.
“Chairman Jiang!!!”
“Chairman Jiang! Did he come to support his wife?”
“Chairman Jiang! Where’s your daughter!!!”
Upon seeing Jiang Shu, the previously idle audience immediately started shouting.
The popularity of “We Became a Family” also publicized the “reorganized family” of Jiang Shu, Bae Joo-hyun, Liu Zhimin, and Zhang Yuanying. Many fans enjoyed watching it, especially the interactions between the “parents,” Jiang Shu and Bae Joo-hyun. It was subtle, without any forced couple feel, but rather a sense of colleagues just living together.
This made Bae Joo-hyun’s fans not dislike it; some even loved watching it.
As the show aired, the audience gradually grew, and the interesting relationship among these four people was gradually accepted by the public.
Facing the fans' greetings, Jiang Shu smiled and waved to the audience.
“Chairman Jiang! Where are your two daughters?” a male fan closest to Jiang Shu shouted loudly.
“Xiao Liu and Xiao Yuan both have schedules, so they couldn’t make it this time,” Jiang Shu explained with a smile.
Seeing that Jiang Shu actually responded, the audience became even more excited, each one shouting loudly.
The sound was so loud that even the artists waiting in the waiting rooms for their performances poked their heads out from backstage, curious about what was happening.
The director was also very interesting. Before the show began, he directed the camera to the audience, broadcasting it backstage so that all the artists in the waiting rooms could see the scene.
Red Velvet's waiting room.
Bae Joo-hyun and Kang Seul-gi are both members of Red Velvet, so the production team did not set aside a separate waiting room for them.
Although it was Bae Joo-hyun and Kang Seul-gi’s sub-unit, out of the three other Red Velvet members, Sun Shengwan had a radio show she couldn’t leave, but Park Soo-young and Kim Ye-rim were both there.
The four of them were chatting in the waiting room when they suddenly saw the unchanging stage screen on the TV change. Then, a familiar figure appeared in their line of sight.
“Is that… the Chairman?” Park Soo-young asked, surprised, looking at the screen.
“The Chairman gets along quite well with the fans,” Kim Ye-rim said, shaking her head.
“Ouni, will the Chairman come over later?” Kang Seul-gi turned to Bae Joo-hyun and asked.
Bae Joo-hyun glanced at the cameraman not far away and nodded with a smile.
“There are too many people in the audience, so he should come over.”
“Oh my! Ouni, you didn’t use honorifics,” Kim Ye-rim widened her eyes, leaned close to Bae Joo-hyun, and winked at her where the camera couldn’t see.
Bae Joo-hyun understood her meaning and said with a smile, “The Chairman told me to speak casually with him.”
“Got it,” Kim Ye-rim nodded, feigning sudden realization, “As expected of the Chairman’s wife.”
“Pfft!” Park Soo-young laughed upon hearing that. “So, she’s the Chairman’s wife!”
Bae Joo-hyun was not a little girl; she wouldn’t blush fiercely over such a small tease.
“Then you should show more respect to this Chairman’s wife, Yeri-xi,” Bae Joo-hyun said, pinching Kim Ye-rim’s cheek with a smile.
Kim Ye-rim’s face fell.
Oh no, she dug her own grave.
“The Chairman is here,” Kang Seul-gi suddenly said.
Bae Joo-hyun released Kim Ye-rim’s cheek, looked up at the door, and then saw Jiang Shu coming in with the cameraman.
“You’re all here,” Jiang Shu said, walking in with a smile.
“Chairman,” the four bowed to Jiang Shu, Bae Joo-hyun included.
Speaking casually was one thing, but the proper greetings still needed to be given.
“Chairman, didn’t you say you were busy and didn’t have time?” Bae Joo-hyun asked curiously.
“I finished my work,” Jiang Shu smiled. “Besides, I certainly can’t miss my wife’s stage.”
“Oh~~~”
Kim Ye-rim was the first to egg them on, and with someone leading, the others in the waiting room also joined in the teasing.
Bae Joo-hyun smiled helplessly and looked at Jiang Shu, saying, “Thank you for coming, Chairman.”
“Hey, no need to thank me. I’m not just here to support you, but also our Seulgi,” Jiang Shu said with a smile, looking at Kang Seul-gi, who had been somewhat unnoticed.
Kang Seul-gi was a bit stunned at being suddenly called out, and her dazed expression was captured by the camera.
Ding-dong.
Jiang Shu’s phone rang in his pocket.
“One moment,” Jiang Shu said, taking out his phone.
He smiled after seeing the content.
“What’s making you so happy?” Bae Joo-hyun asked when she saw him.
“You can see it on your phones too,” Jiang Shu said, putting down his phone.
Hearing this, the four Red Velvet members simultaneously picked up their phones, and even the other staff in the waiting room grabbed theirs.
Upon hearing this, the cameraman, carrying his camera, moved closer to Bae Joo-hyun and pointed the lens at Bae Joo-hyun’s phone screen.
And then…
#IZONE Comeback#
#ITZY Comeback#
#Red Velvet Comeback#
#Taeyeon Comeback#
#IU Comeback#
These were the top five trending searches.
“Daebak!”
A moment later, the people in the waiting room exclaimed.
Three Greats groups and two solo artists all announced their comebacks. Is this right?
“Chairman, this?” Bae Joo-hyun looked up in shock at Jiang Shu.
They, of course, knew they would have a comeback in January next year, but they didn't know that others would also be making comebacks at that time.
And looking at it, everyone else was also having a comeback in January. This…
Most of DM Entertainment’s groups and artists are all having comebacks in January next year. Are they fighting among themselves?
“How is it? Our DM Entertainment family war,” Jiang Shu said with a slight smile, quite proudly.
Kim Ye-rim scratched her head.
“Chairman, we can’t beat IZONE, can we?”
“Remove the ‘can’t,’ child. We definitely can’t beat them,” Park Soo-young said, patting Kim Ye-rim’s shoulder.
“Cough,” Bae Joo-hyun interrupted the two youngest members who were speaking their minds, “We only need to execute the Chairman’s decisions; there’s no need to question them.”
“Tsk,” Kim Ye-rim pouted, “Wife follows husband.”
Bae Joo-hyun’s face darkened.
“Yah! Kim Ye-rim!”
Kim Ye-rim shivered and darted behind Jiang Shu.
“Chairman, your wife is going through menopause!”