K-Producer C26 Strategy

Byul-ho turned to Seul-gi, offering a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, Seul-gi-ssi," he said, his tone neutral but not unfriendly.

Seul-gi, her curiosity seemingly getting the better of her, blurted out, "So, what's really going on between you two? Are you actually friends or something?"

Byul-ho's lips curved into a slight smile as he glanced at Min-ji. "I think your friend can answer that better than I can. After all, she's the one who approached me."

Min-ji, caught off guard, shrugged nonchalantly. "I just felt sorry for Byul-ho, you know. He lost a parent at a young age, so I thought I'd be nice and befriend him."

Seul-gi nodded, seemingly satisfied with this explanation. However, Byul-ho's expression darkened slightly at Min-ji's words.

He let out a small, derisive snort. "You don't need to pity me, Min-ji-ssi. I'm doing just fine on my own."

Min-ji's eyes widened slightly, clearly taken aback by Byul-ho's sudden change in demeanor. She had been trying to navigate this fake friendship, using it as a means to eventually manipulate Byul-ho for her family's benefit. But she hadn't expected him to react negatively to her explanation.

Confusion flickered across her face as she tried to understand why her words had upset him. She had thought that presenting their relationship as one born of pity would be less suspicious than admitting to any genuine interest or connection.

Seul-gi, sensing the tension, quickly changed the subject. "So, Byul-ho-ssi, do you really own Ascend? Or is someone else pulling the strings and you're just a figurehead?"

Byul-ho's smile returned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I do own Ascend. There's no need for puppetry at my age."

Seul-gi nodded, seeming impressed. "If you really own the group, you must be really good at training them."

Byul-ho simply nodded in response. Meanwhile, Min-ji stood there, clearly confused by Byul-ho's sudden coldness, unable to grasp the nuances of genuine friendship.

Their conversation was cut short as the teacher entered the classroom, signaling the start of lessons.

As time passed and classes ended, Byul-ho quickly made his way out of the classroom. He noticed Min-ji approaching but chose to ignore her.

However, as he walked down the hallway, Min-ji caught up and fell into step beside him. "What's the problem?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion. "Is it because I said our relationship is based on pity?"

Byul-ho smiled wryly, not breaking his stride. "Take a guess," he replied cryptically.

As Min-ji opened her mouth to explain herself, Byul-ho cut her off. "Meet me later. I'll be selling my Starlight Entertainment shares to your family now. No need to act anymore."

Min-ji stopped in her tracks, watching Byul-ho's retreating back as he continued down the hallway. She should have felt triumphant – this was, after all, what she had been working towards. Yet, an unexpected feeling of dissatisfaction settled in her chest.

As she stood there, Min-ji found herself grappling with conflicting emotions. The ease with which Byul-ho had seen through her act left her feeling exposed and, surprisingly, a little ashamed. Despite achieving her goal, the victory felt hollow, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she had lost something more valuable in the process.

***

Byul-ho made his way to the Golden-Star Entertainment building, still in his school uniform. As he entered the cramped practice room, he found his group hard at work, even though their coaches had left for the day.

Upon noticing Byul-ho, the members immediately stopped their practice, looking at their young CEO with respect.

Byul-ho nodded to them, a warm smile spreading across his face. "How's it going, everyone?" he asked, his tone casual and friendly.

Instead of diving into business talk or critiquing their practice, Byul-ho engaged them in light conversation. He asked about their day, shared a funny incident from school, and listened attentively to their stories.

Jae-sung chuckled at one of Byul-ho's jokes. "You know, sometimes it's hard to remember you're our CEO, Byul-ho. You're more like another member of the group."

Byul-ho grinned, "That's the idea. We're in this together, after all."

As they chatted and laughed, the atmosphere in the room grew relaxed and comfortable. The members seemed to forget about the pressures of their upcoming performance, simply enjoying each other's company.

After a while, Byul-ho glanced at his watch. "It's almost time for the show. Shall we head to the TV room?"

The group nodded eagerly, following Byul-ho to a small room equipped with a television. As they settled in, anticipation built in the air.

The clock ticked towards 6:00 PM, and as the familiar theme music of "Korea's Rising Stars" filled the room.

As the show progressed, Byul-ho and Ascend watched intently, their focus sharpening when it was time for the K-pop group's performance.

The group, introduced as "SuperStars," took the stage. Their performance started with standard choreography and singing, but suddenly took a turn when the members began to remove their shirts, exposing their well-toned upper bodies. The audience, particularly the young girls, erupted in shrieks of excitement.

Ascend members exchanged uncomfortable glances. Jae-sung whispered, "Is that all it takes to get that kind of reaction?"

Min-jae added, "They're not even that impressive vocally or dance-wise."

Byul-ho, noticing their reactions, spoke up. "Don't underestimate them. They're our competitors, and we need to understand their advantages."

He turned to the group. "What do you think their strength is?"

The members shared their thoughts. Some mentioned the group's popularity, others their stage presence.

After listening, Byul-ho nodded. "Those are all valid points, but their main advantage is simpler than that. It's their physiques."

The room fell silent for a moment before Do-hyun chuckled nervously. "You're joking, right?"

Byul-ho's expression remained serious. "I'm not. Their physical appearance is a significant part of their appeal, especially to their target demographic."

Seeing the awkward and slightly discouraged looks on his members' faces, Byul-ho continued, "This doesn't mean we need to copy their strategy. It just means we need to be aware of different approaches in the industry. Our strength lies elsewhere – in our music, our message, and our genuine connection with the audience."

Jae-sung nodded slowly, understanding dawning on his face. "So we need to focus on developing our own unique appeal, right?"

"Exactly," Byul-ho confirmed. "We'll win our audience through talent, sincerity, and hard work. There's room for different types of artists in this industry. Our job is to be the best version of ourselves, not to imitate others."

As the group absorbed this lesson, their initial discomfort transformed into determination. They realized that understanding their competition didn't mean doubting themselves, but rather reinforcing their own identity and strengths.

Byul-ho smiled, seeing the renewed focus in his team's eyes.

Byul-ho nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "While you guys won't copy others directly, you can certainly learn from them. Physical appearance is part of your image. If you want to improve your physique through exercise or even consider surgery, that's your choice."

The Ascend members quickly shook their heads at the mention of surgery. Jae-sung spoke up, "I think we'd all prefer to work out rather than go under the knife."

Byul-ho smiled approvingly. "That's a healthy attitude. It means you'll need to work harder every day."

Do-hyun, still processing the earlier performance, asked hesitantly, "So... after we get fit, are we supposed to strip on stage like SuperStars?"

Byul-ho's smile turned mischievous. "That's up to you. But if you want my advice, there's a more effective approach. Instead of fully revealing your bodies, a more conservative approach with just a hint of exposure can actually be more impactful. You might find that even without bodies like SuperStars, you could make the audience react even more strongly."

The members burst into laughter, assuming Byul-ho was joking.

Seeing their reaction, Byul-ho chuckled but his eyes remained serious. "I'm not entirely kidding. In marketing, sometimes less is more. Leaving something to the imagination can be more alluring than showing everything at once."

Sung-ho, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, said, "You always surprise us, Byul-ho-ssi. One minute you're talking about serious industry strategies, the next you're giving us tips on how to make girls shriek."

Byul-ho shrugged, his smile widening. "Part of my job is to consider all aspects of your appeal. But remember, the main focus will always be on your music and performance. These other elements are just tools in our arsenal, to be used wisely and sparingly."