Little Pink Starfish

HR Corporation is a pro among pros.

The reason they occupy a part of the Billboard and are called a mainstay of the American music industry is simple.

Because they are that good at what they do.

These people began to move for the sales of <The First Day>.

The goal was Diamond (10 million copies).

“Diamond? In 2018?”

“Is this guy Elvis Presley or something?”

“Even if Elvis came out now, it wouldn’t be possible.”

Of course, it’s natural for the company to set high targets, but the opinion that 10 million copies was excessive swept through HR Corporation.

But Andrew Bryant, who was pushing his first project since becoming CEO, didn’t care.

Others found it absurd, but he was seriously aiming for 10 million copies.

To explain the calculation in more detail, they planned to sell 5 million copies in the US and 5 million copies worldwide.

Unless it’s music that only appeals to a specific race or class, HR Corporation usually sells as much worldwide as it does in the US.

Asians are spread all over the world, and they form a different kind of bond compared to Americans.

When a Korean player plays in the Premier League, Chinese people (excluding extreme nationalists) feel proud.

Andrew Bryant’s opinion started to be evaluated as ‘maybe it’s a bit possible’ when the English version recording of TFD was completed.

‘It’s fascinating.’

Among Han Sion’s many talents, the most incomprehensible one is his use of English.

Han Sion’s English is perfect.

Not just contextually perfect, but perfectly colloquial as used locally.

At Han Sion’s request, three tracks had professional adaptors, but the rest were written entirely by Han Sion himself.

I don’t quite understand how this is possible.

But it’s a delightful surprise.

The soundtrack flown in from Korea was mixed and mastered at HR Corporation’s subsidiary studio.

We know Han Sion is skilled in this area too, but this was non-negotiable for HR Corporation.

The texture of the sound is connected to the company’s brand.

Large companies like HR Corporation have numerous music labels, and maintaining each label’s unique sound texture is an important part of marketing.

Thus began the post-production.

The guitar Han Sion had mixed so clearly became slightly rougher, and the vocal pitch’s center of gravity shifted from high EQ to mid EQ.

The drums more openly expressed ghost notes, and the barely audible bass became more pronounced.

Mixing and mastering aren’t just technical processes to create pleasant sounds.

Familiar cultural colors are also incorporated.

And HR was a devotee of the traditional American sound.

The result…….

“Wow.”

“This will work.”

“Maybe not diamond, but at least triple platinum……”

Those who had clapped listening to Han Sion’s original soundtrack now erupted in cheers.

What remained was to design the jacket cover, produce the albums, and package the contents in wrapping Americans would like.

Time would take care of that.

Around that time, the contracts were completed.

Not the contract with Sedalbaekil.

It was temporary contracts with the many artists who participated in TFD.

From Yankos Greenwood, Donald McGus, to Mary Jones and Chris Edwards.

It’s impressive that Han Sion gathered these Avengers-like artists with his musical capability, and also impressive that he simply made one album and ended it there.

HR Corporation, after completing contracts with them, tried to turn that ‘simplicity’ into ‘complexity’.

Han Sion sold albums simply and got paid, but HR Corporation intended to make money in a more complicated way.

It started with Donald McGus, the blues giant with eternal boyish sensibility.

---

[Ladies and gentlemen! This is Donald McGus!]

Donald McGus is a celebrity but not someone who often appears on famous talk shows.

Being famous and having a profitable image are two different things, so broadcasters don’t consider Donald McGus an S-class guest.

But Donald McGus’s agent demands S-class appearance fees.

Due to this gap, Donald McGus hadn’t appeared on TV for quite a while (excluding album promotions).

Among viewers who didn’t know this, some changed the channel at the sight of Donald McGus’s face, while others gladly sat down on the sofa.

[How have you been?]

[I’ve been cursing the Grammy Awards for not nominating me.]

At the recently held Grammy Awards, Donald McGus didn’t receive a single nomination.

But the viewers and audience burst into laughter.

Since he hadn’t released an album, it was only natural he wasn’t nominated.

Donald McGus and the host exchanged casual small talk.

They appeared on the Ellen High Talk Show, produced by an HBO label.

In other words, promoting the documentary filmed with Chris Edwards was the top priority.

But HR Corporation, having added capital here, had already mapped out where the show would reach.

[At this point, doesn’t blues feel more like a foundation than a genre? It’s in every music.]

While talking about blues, the host mentioned a few rising new blues musicians.

[What do you think about them?]

[Isn’t there a separate place to evaluate pretty boy bands?]

[Huh?]

[Why not ask NME or some place like that about these pieces of trash?]

[Wow, that’s harsh.]

Donald McGus is not known for being mean-spirited but for being honest.

That honesty has made him liked at times, and hated at others.

This time, it was likely the latter.

The host asked again with a rather flustered look.

[But their album sales are no joke? They are gaining solid support from blues fans.]

[They’re rotten ears who don’t know what’s good.]

Whether he had set the concept properly or not, Donald shot sharp words, and while the host tried to calm things down, he continued with the prepared script.

---

-That was excessive.

-Old folks of past generations never want to admit that their time has passed.

-The easiest way to demonstrate that is to attack the next generation.

Donald McGus’s comments caused quite a stir.

Especially because the young blues artists, with their handsome looks and witty talk, had gathered a substantial young fan base.

Of the three musicians criticized by Donald McGus, two accepted it.

[If he says so, it must be so. If American blues is the Force, he’s Yoda.]

[He can’t be Darth Vader because of his height, right?]

Though they ended with a nuance that lightly teased Donald McGus’s unattractive appearance, it was still mild.

But the remaining one, ‘Ingwi Geichi’, didn’t hold back.

[There’s no need to put too much meaning into the words of a senile old man. His blues stagnated at his 3rd album and started becoming obsolete from his 4th.]

He went in hard, announcing a beef between blues musicians.

While head-butting and fighting are common in rock or hip-hop scenes, it’s rare in the blues scene.

Naturally, the media eagerly spread the beef, and Ingwi Geichi didn’t stop.

[There’s further proof that he’s either senile or talking for money.]

Ingwi Geichi then dragged out Donald McGus’s past statements.

It was about what he had said regarding <The First Day>.

Though it had become quite old news, Donald McGus had once lavishly praised TFD and Han Sion.

Calling him a musician who could lead the next generation of blues, lamenting that Han Sion’s talent transcended not just blues but all of music.

Donald McGus had praised so much that even blues fans started buying and listening to TFD.

After that, more masters chimed in, and fans from various genres purchased TFD.

That’s how the US sales surpassed gold.

But now, these past statements seemed to have become poison.

Still, Donald McGus remained confident.

[He was blind with his hands too. Do you have an HBO ID?]

Coincidentally, HBO’s documentary was released.

The documentary contained a lot, including Donald McGus’s incredible skills.

When his guitar played with the blue notes, you couldn’t help but applaud.

There was also a conversation between Chris Edwards and Donald McGus.

[……! What? It ends here?]

[He said he saw Donald McGus’s performance in a dream.]

[Who did?]

Zion, who didn’t even appear in the documentary, and his song weren’t properly played.

But that evening, Donald McGus playing guitar while heavily drunk on a rooftop was a masterpiece.

Everyone watching the documentary thought an amazing song had been born, but…….

[He was an interesting liar.]

In fact, that song was written by Han Sion.

Donald McGus realized it as soon as he played it himself.

That was where the documentary ended.

The subtitles only said, ‘Afterwards, Donald McGus participated in the album of a K-pop group produced by Zion.’

There was no mention of Sedalbaekil’s name or the album title.

As if they intentionally left it out since it had nothing directly to do with them.

It didn’t seem like promotion.

But this slow and covert process was all part of HR Corporation’s plan to reach diamond.

Even…….

The young blues musicians recruited for the documentary release, and even Ingwi Geichi, who was exchanging sharp beef with Donald McGus, were all part of the plan.

---

“CP, Sedalbaekil contacted us.”

“They’re slow.”

The CP of MBN’s variety department said that, but still scheduled a meeting with Sedalbaekil.

The PDs might have sensed it too, but MBN was deliberately blocking Sedalbaekil.

They boycotted all broadcast appearances including music shows, sending one clear message.

‘Let’s share the pie… something like that.’

Though it’s called a boycott, all doors were actually open.

When Sedalbaekil’s company requested music show schedules, MBN replied that while the requested week was difficult, they could negotiate and adjust to a suitable schedule.

Even a kindergartener would understand this level of hint.

It would probably be a smooth negotiation.

Sedalbaekil would make room for MBN’s name beside their enormous success, and MBN would exchange that for honor and friendship.

But the next day.

The CP couldn’t help but be flustered at the meeting held with Director Seo Seunghyun and Han Sion.

“We came in person because misunderstandings could arise through email or phone calls.”

“Due to our schedule this time, music shows will be difficult.”

However, the CP knew this wasn’t an empty threat.

If proper negotiations weren’t made now, the fake boycott could turn into a real one.

The CP, organizing his thoughts briefly, opened his mouth.