Damn Idol Episode 88
* * *
The performance held at a place called Brown Basic in Hapjeong was not as bad as I thought.
I am used to this kind of performance.
Especially in the early days when I was active as GOTM, I would always go to underground clubs for about 1 to 2 years.
It's not because I don't have the ability to skip the underground.
If you use the future information you have, a huge amount of money, and self-composed songs that are guaranteed to be hits, you can make a hot shot debut even if you skip the underground.
However, sometimes there are steps that should not be skipped.
I am a person of color, and I am a vocalist in a position where fans of band culture can see me wearing colored glasses.
So there is a need to form a sense of cultural identity with them.
There needs to be a story about experiencing racial discrimination in an underground club in LA and moving around underground with friends.
So, I intentionally play mediocre songs at first.
'I was booed by the audience the first time I went up on stage, but it took a year to charm them.' Because the same sentence should be reliably published in Rolling Stone.
Moreover, band culture also has its own pros and cons.
Seonggol (sacred bone) are people who broke through underground clubs with pure skill.
Jingol (true bone) is an idol band that was planned from the beginning with the help of management.
>성골 = Slang by football fans. A big club star from their youth system. Generally; highest rank in the hierarchy of Silla Dynasty. Royal family members, in line to the throne.
>진골 = It is the level below seonggol in Silla's rank system. High-ranking noble class who does not have the right to the throne.
Korea is not the only country with an idol system.
There is also America.
In fact, Motown Records is the originator of Korean entertainment's planning and hard training system.
The legendary label that created the genre called Motown.
The story is a bit off, but the point is that you have a lot of experience going to underground clubs in order to be recognized as a saint in the band culture.
On the other hand, it was the first time for the members of 3 Months and One Hundred Days to experience something like this.
They panicked when I first said we were going to the concert, and we have to sing the remake version under the streetlight. And supposedly I was going to sing with Koo Tae-hwan.
He asked me to please just do the opening.
Still, perhaps because I had a successful opening, they showed off their skills from then on.
There were a lot of disappointing parts, but you can't fill up after the first drink.
When the performance ended, the audience flocked to us and asked for photos and autographs.
"wow... ... ."
There were so many people who were amazed when they saw Lee Ion in person.
"Can I post this on the internet?"
"sure. You can raise it as much as you want."
"How did you come to today's performance?"
"The people who were originally scheduled to be guests were unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances, but CEO Lee Hyun-seok said it would be a good idea for us to experience the indie scene."
"Wow, so the special guest wasn't originally supposed to be 3 months and 100 days?"
"yes. It was suddenly decided today. So there was no set list. It was a bit sloppy, wasn't it?"
"no! No no! No, no, no!"
You only have to say it once.
What I just said is only half true.
Not long ago, I asked CEO Lee Hyun-seok to schedule as many indie performances as possible that would attract guests.
Instead of accepting payment, I asked that 3 Months and One Hundred Days's name not be used for posters or promotional purposes.
So, there are already 13 performances I have scheduled for this month.
If I can catch more, I will.
However, the performance we're currently performing was arranged really suddenly.
A band had to cancel today's performance due to schedule, and Lee Hyun-seok knew about it and made it happen.
He said it would be a good idea to hold the first stage in a smaller place.
He said it wasn't far from the scheduled performance venue.
It was great help.
The next stage will have an audience of 200, but 3 Months and One Hundred Days members may ruin the stage.
Because the feeling a singer has to give off is completely different between a big performance and a small performance.
"Sorry, but we have next plans! Thank you all!"
"thank you!"
As we were about to leave the venue, Evening Promise, which had performed before us, belatedly brought their instruments and asked for our autographs.
She said she was a little late because she had to buy some magic. (They said it was for girl's menstruation?)
She even posted a cover of our song and said she was a huge fan.
If you ask for an autograph on an instrument, you must be a true fan.
It's kind of interesting.
I didn't know there were this many fans in the indie scene.
"I hope to see you again next time."
After saying that, we left the concert hall and got into the car parked in the alley.
"Huh."
"Wah... ... ."
"Wow... ... ."
As soon as they get into the car, the members sigh.
It seemed like the tension had finally eased.
"Everyone had fun, right?"
"It was fun... ... . What did we do?"
"I think we danced and sang Seoul Town Funk."
"Don't worry. We're going to monitor everything anyway."
"huh? Did you film it?"
"yes."
There were two part-time workers in the audience that I hired.
"We're going to write down our thoughts and feedback in the incorrect answer notebook, so take a break first."
"Then the actual battle you mentioned back then... ... ."
"yes. that's right."
"Why didn't you tell us in advance?"
"I told you during the day."
"Couldn't you have told us a few days ago?"
I shrugged my shoulders in response to On Saemiro's question.
Of course, that is not difficult.
If I had told them that we would be performing three days in advance, we could have put together a more detailed set list.
However, what I want is not to demonstrate our skills only on stages where we are prepared.
"I don't know when and where we will be able to demonstrate our skills in the future."
The opportunity will definitely come.
Because I am a person capable enough to create such an opportunity.
However, with M-Show and Lion's eyes wide open, the predicted opportunity will not come.
It will definitely be sudden and urgent.
Seizing that opportunity is not something I can do alone, it is something we can do.
"In that sense, so far we have only performed on stages that were overly planned."
Coming Up Next provided a minimum of 5 days to a maximum of 15 days to stage one stage, excluding minor missions.
The members themselves don't seem to know, but that's why they have bad habits.
They try to practice like they do in real stage, but the difference in attitude between practice and real stage is quite big.
When the Beatles performed in Hamburg when they were unknown, they played for 12 hours a day.
It is said that in order to endure the murderous schedule, they swallowed beer and stimulants like water and snacks.
After gaining popularity and returning to Liverpool, they played from at least 7pm to 2am.
At the Cavern Club, famous as a mecca for the Beatles.
So this process is absolutely necessary.
Even GOTM members used to say this when they quit their hellish club life.
"Oh, my God! They say we only have to perform for 3 hours a day!"
"Nonsense! They paid me this much money for just doing that job!"
I think that 3 Months and One Hundred Days needs an underground life that much.
Because we won't be able to stand on the planning stage with manpower backed by huge capital for quite some time.
"Let's refine the essence, that's it."
I thought I had finished giving a meaningful chapter of my speech, but Choi Jaesung summed it up in one word.
"Sion hyung suddenly became an old man."
"... ... ."
This is why kids these days are the problem.
In my time.
I once got hit by a banana thrown by an audience member while performing at an underground club.
While eating it, I sang an impromptu arrangement of Harry Belafonte's <Banana Boat>, and the guy who threw the banana came and apologized.
I tried to accept the apology, but someone punched him in the face.
Who was it?
Was it Andrew Gunn or Dave Logan?
"... ... ."
I suddenly feel down.
The anecdotes with GOTM are vivid in my memory, but no one in this world remembers them.
Perhaps, as time goes by, it will become the same for three months and one hundred days.
"The next performance is <Roach> in Hongdae. There are about 300 people in the audience here, so let's do better."
I said that and started the car.
Since I'm the only one who have a driver's license, I guess I'll have to be the road manager for the 3 Months & 100 Days Crew for the time being.
* * *
3 Months & 100 Days began performing in the indie scene.
The first day's performance was a schedule that went back and forth between heaven and hell.
The performance at Hapjeong's <Brown Basic> was good, but the next performance at <Roach> was the worst.
Roach's performance was a guest appearance at a solo performance by a band called <Eoljuka>, but the fans were not very happy about it.
>'얼죽아' which is short for '얼어죽어도 아이스아메리카노', meaning 'someone who has to drink iced americano even if it means freezing to death'
There was a good reason for this.
The leader and guitarist of Eoljukah debuted as an idol at the age of 18, but wasted seven years in a slave contract.
The reason he signed with the company in the first place was because they said they would let him be in a band, but then he ended up debuting as an idol.
Because of this situation, Eoljukah's fans did not welcome 3 Months & 100 Days, who is currently a hot idol, very happily.
And Han Si-on knew this fact after hearing it from Lee Hyun-seok.
Lee Hyun-seok said it would be better not to go to Eoljuka's performance, but Han Si-on insisted.
Because we need the experience of singing in front of cold eyes.
As a result, the members sang in cold sweat and could not show even half of their usual skills.
However, there were also people who showed something unexpected.
It was On Saemiro.
On Saemiro often seemed intimidated by criticism from others, but this time it was a little different.
He sang with confidence and showed off his true skills.
Not to mention Han Si-on.
As Han Si-on and On Sae-miro showed such outstanding skills, Eoljuka's fans also showed a somewhat limited response later on.
The next performance was at 11pm, so Choi Jaesung could not join, but we managed to produce a decent result.
There was a performance the next day, and another performance the next day.
Because it was a weekend that lasted from Friday-Saturday-Sunday.
This outing to the indie scene seemed to create quite a buzz on social media.
Because the cast of a popular program with viewership ratings exceeding 10% appeared out of nowhere.
But the topic failed to spread.
It became a hot topic in band communities and forums, but it did not spread to the general public.
They couldn't see a single line of common Internet news, and YouTube videos were deactivated due to unknown terrorist attacks.
Of course, the deactivation was soon lifted, but when an issue catches fire, it has to spread quickly.
There was no way it would spread properly because someone kept pouring water on it.
Nevertheless, the 3 Months & 100 Days crew didn't care.
They knew what was going to happen through Han Si-on's words, and that wasn't the urgent thing right now.
"hey! Choi Jaeseong!"
"Why, why?"
"This is you."
"No."
"Isn't it your handwriting?"
"It's really not. No, and what if it was me! That's what incorrect answer note should be!"
"... ... ."
"Sion hyung! Saemiro hyung is censoring the notes for incorrect answers!"
Han Si-ion saw On Sae-mi-ro's note for incorrect answers and slapped Choi Jae-sung on the back.
-Yesterday, he ate ramen and went to sleep, so he was drowsy.
Because it had nothing to do with the song.
But surprisingly, Choi Jae-seong was serious.
It's not that there was no intention to joke at all, but it's not 100% a joke.
"We have to manage our diet. It's still okay, but I can see you letting your guard down more and more. Even though we are a crew, we are idols, right? The fans will be disappointed when they see it."
The members nodded at the youngest's shout.
Choi Jaeseong was right about this.
It is true that as we started to work on our performance schedule, we gradually lost control of our diet.
Yesterday, we had pork belly and soju.
"great. Then we're off the gym."
"PT (Personal Training)?"
"No, the gym."
"Who teaches how to exercise?"
"Me."
It was Han Si-on who had to bulk up for a long time.
Don't you know I received training from the best trainers in Hollywood in order to get as far away from the typical thin and introverted Asian type as possible?
So, I have become quite advanced in exercising.
Moreover, I made a promise to myself when I was going through the hellish 'muk-spit'.
When I debut in the future, I will definitely create a team concept that has an appropriate amount of muscle mass.
Even if you don't bulk up, if you increase your muscle mass, you can enjoy a certain amount of gourmet food.
"Uh, Sion?"
"yes."
"Your eyes are a bit scary... ... ."
"Ion hyung. Hyung's face can work even if you goe to America right now. It works no matter what."
"huh?"
"But it won't work on your body. I'll make it work for you."
"... ... yeah."
Lee Ion seemed resigned.
Because he can't stop Han Si-on with those eyes.
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