Chapter 235: Topping the Charts and the White Paper
Inside the private room of the lamb restaurant.
Upon entering the private room, Jiang Shu and Bae Joo-hyun finally removed their masks, revealing their true faces.
The weather in May was quite hot, and wearing a mask and a baseball cap was truly stifling.
“Nothing happened at the company, right?” Jiang Shu took a sip of water and asked Bae Joo-hyun.
“No,” Bae Joo-hyun shook her head, “Everyone is the same as before, nothing happened.”
Jiang Shu nodded.
It was good if Korean Entertainment had one or two major news stories a year, and the probability of such major news falling on DM Entertainment was even lower, so Jiang Shu had just asked casually.
“How’s the hotel room? No problems? Let me know if you need anything,” Jiang Shu said, looking at Bae Joo-hyun.
“The room is very good, I don’t need anything,” Bae Joo-hyun quickly shook her head and said.
“Hmm, then I won’t be polite with you. If you say you don’t, then you don’t.”
“Yes.” After Bae Joo-hyun agreed, she paused, then spoke hesitantly, “We’re speaking Korean… your sister doesn’t understand, right?”
There was still someone else here, speaking Korean was clearly exclusion.
“Don’t mind her. When is ITZY’s comeback?” Jiang Shu asked casually after saying that.
“ITZY should be making their comeback around the tenth of this month. They’ve been pre-warming for a while now,” Bae Joo-hyun replied.
“After this comeback, ITZY will have to prepare to contend with IZONE,” Jiang Shu sighed with emotion.
After this, Tian Xiaojuan and ITZY would only have one more chance.
“Can they win?” Bae Joo-hyun asked uncertainly.
“What do you think?” Jiang Shu didn’t answer, but instead asked a rhetorical question.
Bae Joo-hyun hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
“Although ITZY is more popular than our Red Velvet, trying to contend with IZONE still feels unrealistic.”
It wasn’t that Bae Joo-hyun looked down on ITZY, but mainly because IZONE’s dominance was evident there. Who would dare to confront her head-on?
“You’re right, but ITZY’s upward momentum is clear. Even if they can’t win, we need to market it as an evenly matched situation,” Jiang Shu said with a chuckle.
Bae Joo-hyun was a little strange as to why Jiang Shu would tell her things that were clearly only for high-level company executives, but since Jiang Shu had already said it, she wouldn’t tell Jiang Shu to shut up and not say it.
It wouldn’t hurt to listen.
“How long has it been since the first second-generation girl group debuted?” Jiang Shu asked with a chuckle.
“The first second-generation girl group debuted in 2018, with S.M. introducing the concept of a second-generation girl group. It’s been three years now,” Bae Joo-hyun thought for a moment and said.
“Three years, for idols whose life cycle is generally only seven years, is already more than halfway. The era of second-generation girl groups should see the emergence of a topping-the-charts group,” Jiang Shu said with a smile.
“Topping-the-charts group?” Bae Joo-hyun looked at Jiang Shu blankly. This was a very unfamiliar term to her.
“The most outstanding girl group in an era, a super superstar group that surpasses contemporaries and even all groups from all periods. I call such a group a topping-the-charts group,” Jiang Shu briefly outlined the concept.
“IVE, IZONE!” Bae Joo-hyun immediately thought of these two girl groups, both from DM Entertainment.
“There weren’t many girl groups when IVE was formed, so their reference value is quite general. IZONE, on the other hand, is in the current period of a major girl group boom, with various companies launching their own girl groups. In such circumstances, IZONE is more suitable to be a topping-the-charts group.”
“But since it’s about topping the charts, there must be some storytelling involved. ITZY is a very good opponent.”
“Then… will ITZY become the protagonist?” Bae Joo-hyun asked curiously.
Although she didn’t think ITZY could beat IZONE, what if…?
“That’s why I said opponent, not supporting role.”
Whoever wins, will be the protagonist!
Bae Joo-hyun felt a little excited inside as she listened. She was no longer capable of competing for this topping-the-charts group position, but if she could witness the birth of the first topping-the-charts girl group, wouldn’t that be great?
Becoming a legend and witnessing a legend are both excellent life experiences!
“In addition to that, I will also push for the creation of the Korean Wave White Paper, to officially stamp the status of the male and female topping-the-charts groups,” Jiang Shu continued.
He hadn’t communicated these matters with anyone for a while, and it had been stifling him. He thoroughly showed off his future plans to Bae Joo-hyun.
Although he wasn't that familiar with Bae Joo-hyun, in Jiang Shu's heart, she had always been considered one of his own. It was fine to tell her these things. He usually didn't say anything because Li Duohui was there, and after showing off his whimsical ideas to Li Duohui, Jiang Shu would be too lazy to show off again.
Now, with Li Duohui not around, Bae Joo-hyun perfectly filled that role.
“Will this white paper only record topping-the-charts groups?” Bae Joo-hyun asked.
“No, it will include many well-known groups, including yours. You are also a part of the Korean Wave and a major source for expanding its influence.”
Film and television works and idols were the main channels for the Korean Wave’s external output, but compared to the former, the latter’s status was a bit too low.
“So… I can also make history?” Bae Joo-hyun’s eyes widened immediately.
The white paper Jiang Shu described, wasn't it just a history book of Korean Entertainment?
Wouldn't she also be considered to have left her name in history?
“Yes, you can.”
Given the national circumstances of Korea, idols who make it big can indeed leave their names in history.
Upon hearing this, Bae Joo-hyun’s eyes immediately lit up.
Excitement!
Nothing but excitement!
Seeing Bae Joo-hyun’s obvious joy, Jiang Shu also smiled.
Bae Joo-hyun rarely showed such significant emotional changes. It was clear that leaving one's name in history was something people from any country cared about.
With what Jiang Shu had been stirring up in Korea, his name would definitely be in the white paper. When talking about girl groups, one couldn't avoid him. This also counted as leaving his name in history.
But the problem was…
This world was not his world, and this face was not his original face.
He was like a proxy player; no matter how well he played or how high he got the rank, it was ultimately not his own account.
Thinking of this, Jiang Shu sighed softly in his heart.
He wondered if he would ever have a chance to go back.
Some things, you only realize after obtaining them that they’re actually just so-so.
Now, Jiang Shu somewhat missed his life before transmigrating, but there were also benefits now. At least on a material level, he truly lacked nothing. Before, he really had to consider whether to choose the yellow or blue delivery rider when ordering takeout, depending on which was cheaper.
Everything has its pros and cons, he supposed.
Snapping back to reality, he looked at Bae Joo-hyun not far away.
At least in his past life, he would have had to spend tens of thousands of won to attend a fan signing just to see a celebrity like Bae Joo-hyun, but now, she was right in front of him, eating with him.
“Chairman?” Bae Joo-hyun’s voice pulled Jiang Shu’s attention back. “Is there something on my face?”
Bae Joo-hyun looked at him with a puzzled expression.
In response, Jiang Shu smiled after regaining his composure.
“You just got prettier again.”