Chapter 31: Expansion
Jiang Shu understood Min Xizhen’s concerns.
It wasn't realistic for him to try and persuade Min Xizhen to cooperate with DM Entertainment, facing internal company pressure, based on empty words alone; she needed to see something tangible.
After handing Ahn Yujin and Kim Autumn’s profiles to Secretary Park, Jiang Shu didn't go to see these two trainees.
Trainees weren't at the company every day; most came to practice after school, and full-time trainees were few.
Later, he would just have the people from DM Entertainment's trainee department coordinate with S.M to bring them over.
As IVE’s comeback stages were continuously released, their popularity steadily grew, and their agency, DM Entertainment, also gained a small boost in recognition.
Most viewers weren't interested in DM Entertainment, but for job seekers interested in working in the K-pop industry, they now had one more option.
DM Entertainment’s previously unnoticed advertisements for staff and trainee recruitment gradually began to receive many responses.
June 10th, DM Entertainment, Chairman’s Office.
Jiang Shu was reviewing the simplified financial report for the past week submitted by the finance department.
Although IVE had only debuted for half a month, they had received a great number of brand invitations, and some schedules had already been settled, with their immense popularity beginning to convert into profits.
It wasn’t much; transforming popularity into profit requires a process, and half a month wouldn't generate a lot of cash, but every little bit helps. At least it was a good sign, unlike DM Entertainment before, which only had expenses and no income.
“Also, the department heads are asking if we should prepare to debut a boy group?” Choi Ji-yeon asked Jiang Shu, standing in front of his desk.
Although S.M predicted that K-pop would soon enter the girl group era, boy groups were still the most profitable groups in K-pop; girl groups’ earning potential was not on the same level as boy groups.
“No,” Jiang Shu refused decisively. “If we do girl groups, we’ll focus on girl groups. We don’t have much competitiveness in the boy group sector. It’s better to deeply cultivate the girl group field, establish roots in the girl group market, and secure a place.”
Boy groups?
Besides knowing the full members of Bigbang and EXO, he didn’t know anything about the rest; at most, he knew their names.
Even for BTS, who single-handedly raised the bar for K-pop boy groups, he only knew Kim Taehyung and the world’s most handsome Namjoon giegie.
And for Bigbang and EXO, he could only recognize their faces and names; he knew nothing else about them.
Most importantly, in this game world, there was no such thing as 'bondage' for boy groups.
Why should he bother?
“Alright,” Choi Ji-yeon nodded. “I will inform the department heads.”
“Has the music video for ‘I AM’ started recording?” Jiang Shu inquired.
IVE had been incredibly busy recently; when Jiang Shu left, IVE’s dorm was empty, and when he returned home, it was still empty.
“It has already started recording. It’s being filmed according to the revised script you provided and is expected to be released by the end of this month.”
“Mm. What about the group reality show?”
The budget wasn't enough, so those had to be postponed.
Now that IVE was gradually generating revenue, some missing elements could be prepared.
“The group reality show is already gathering writers to draft the script. Once the script is complete, we can begin filming.”
With only one group in the company, Choi Ji-yeon was intimately familiar with all related matters and could quickly provide answers when Jiang Shu asked relevant questions.
“Good,” Jiang Shu nodded in satisfaction. “Anything else?”
“Yes,” Choi Ji-yeon replied. “The staff seconded from S.M have been arranged. Their salaries and benefits will be paid according to our company’s staff standards. When would you like to arrange for them to start working?”
“What are we waiting for? Assign them work directly.” Jiang Shu waved his hand. It wouldn’t make sense to just pay them without having them work, right?
“Alright.”
“Have Ahn Yujin and Kim Autumn arrived?”
“The two trainees have been arranged, but like Shin Ryujin and the Lee Chaeyeon and Lee Chaeryeong sisters, they didn’t choose to live in the company dormitory,” Choi Ji-yeon replied.
IVE’s previous dormitory was also rented, and DM Entertainment even rented its office building, so naturally, it didn't have money to buy dorms for trainees and artists.
The large apartment IVE currently lived in was rented by Jiang Shu out of his own pocket; otherwise, the company wouldn't have the budget to rent such a luxurious river-view apartment.
After IVE moved into the apartment Jiang Shu prepared for them, the original dormitory became vacant. The lease hadn't expired, and since no refunds were given whether it was occupied or not, it was left as it was.
Now, with new trainees joining, it served as a trainee dormitory.
However, whether it was Ahn Yujin and Kim Autumn, whom Jiang Shu brought from S.M, or Shin Ryujin, Lee Chaeyeon, and Lee Chaeryeong, whom he lured from Seoul Arts High School, none of them chose to live in the company-arranged dormitory.
Therefore, this dormitory remained vacant to this day.
“Let them be,” Jiang Shu waved his hand.
They could live there or not; the company provided it anyway.
“Finally, regarding the company’s new staff, there are three applicants from China. The company doesn't have a Chinese translator, and Sun (Minister of Personnel)’s intention is…” Choi Ji-yeon paused. “For you to personally interview these individuals.”
“Chinese?” Jiang Shu raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Why would Chinese people come to a Korean entertainment company to apply? And three of them at once? What’s going on?
“What positions are they applying for?”
“Head of Public Relations, Deputy Head of Public Relations, and Head of Marketing.”
Wow, all mid-level management.
DM Entertainment had director positions, but all director roles were vacant. Although Jiang Shu also served as Art Director, it was effectively no different from being vacant.
Currently, DM Entertainment was Jiang Shu’s absolute domain; the department heads below him were mediocre individuals, not particularly capable, but also unlikely to make mistakes, just average.
Incapable of great responsibility, but also wouldn't cause trouble.
And the positions these three compatriots applied for: the Public Relations Office was a department under the Administration Department, responsible for all company public relations.
The Marketing Office was a department under the Marketing Department, responsible for group marketing work.
In short, both were positions related to publicity and public opinion.
Having experienced K-pop from the second to the sixth generation, Jiang Shu understood the importance of publicity and marketing. As long as public opinion was controlled, a group's baseline was very high, and in the streaming era, once marketing took off, the monetization speed was extremely fast.
The classic example is: incident occurs — parties interviewed — incident goes viral — live streaming sales — raking in money — life guru.
Public opinion is very expensive; several million won thrown in would only create a ripple. For the marketing style of a certain domestic artist who cured depression in a month, several million would need another zero added to it.
But if you have your own publicity channels to negotiate long-term cooperation with these media, handling small matters yourself and only spending money on big ones, a considerable amount of money can be saved.
Having one's own publicity channel is still necessary.