Chapter Fifty-Eight: Are You Going?

ng over 50,000 albums is enough to warrant a celebratory banner. For EXO's million-selling achievement, for the vast majority of artists, it's a sales figure akin to a miracle.As industry professiona...After the show ended, online forums, the comments section of Music Bank's official SNS, and even s's own official account were filled with expressions of anger and resentment.

Actually, when the live stream first started and the two new hosts, Park Ji-won and Bae Joo-hyun, first held hands on camera, many of their female fans and girlfriend/wife fans couldn't hold back. There were already many attacking comments online at that moment, but they only erupted after the show ended.

"Oh my god, I'm so angry! I'm about to explode! Why doesn't Irene just die What right does she have to stand by Yuan's side with that big face and act all sweet Holding hands too! What the hell is she thinking Who even is she"

Irene, the leader of Red Velvet, a new girl group under ** Entertainment, is from 1991 and is a "lake coffee" person.

“This Irene was born in 1991, she is an old woman already, she’s the age to be an aunt. When she just debuted, she was terrible, now she's just slightly improved. Why can she be paired with EXO At least find a rookie actress.”

"Can't you see this It's definitely the usual senior-junior tactic of s. They probably saw that the Parrot group's comeback results were below expectations, so they wanted xo to help them gain some attention, so they paired these two people up to boost Irene's popularity. She wasn't this style of host on Music Bank before. It must be s or this aunt who wants to get attention and actively pulled our yuan into a lovele storyline. It really makes me sick."

"I remember back then, Auntie Pei was heavily criticized by us. Now she's actually jumping out again. She really isn't afraid of being scolded. Seeing her standing beside Oppa and smiling so happily, I'm so angry... Does she have her own SNS account Let's go and ruin it first."

"Her figure is terrible, flat in the front and concave in the back. She's also not pretty, and that wrinkle really looks like it could kill you. She's short too, barely even 1.5 meters tall. I worry she'll stab through the stage with those high heels. She was born in 1991, which makes her an aunt. What kind of person gets to debut as an idol"

All the blame was directed at Seulgi, who is a partner of Pool Jingyuan. It's okay that they were just ordinary partners at first, but because of the MC style change required by the program group this time, some intimate and tacit interactions made fans very annoyed. All kinds of insults and vicious curses were thrown at Seulgi, making it seem like she would be driven out of Red Velvet.

To make it easy to remember and vivid, Alice immediately gave her many nicknames, such as "dwarf" and "toad," but the most commonly used one was "aunt," a sarcastic nickname that mocked her age.

Of course, EXO's fans wouldn't blame their idols. Under normal circumstances, everyone knows that whether or not to take on a fixed c position mainly depends on the company's decision. Pool Kyung-won and Bae Joo-hyun being able to collaborate as c's is probably just another round of senior-junior play orchestrated by S. This kind of thing was actually quite common before, but this time it might be because the two standing together looked too well-matched, hitting fans' anger points directly, causing them to erupt uncontrollably.

However, Red Velvet is no longer the unknown rookie group they were last year. After a successful comeback, they now have their own fanbase who are trying to defend Irene online and argue back against criticisms, such as:

"It's just a normal, fixed guest collaboration, and they are seniors and juniors within the same company. Is there a need to be so harsh"

"Do you think we want to see Irene and that Yuan collaborate"

Even though Red Velvet's fans weren't happy after seeing this, they thought it was a company-arranged senior-junior interaction, so they couldn't speak out against Ji Kyungwon's attacks and instead tried their best to explain.

Unfortunately, Red Velvet's fanbase is still too small in size and scale. Male fans simply can't compete with the massive, currently dominant female fanbase. After a brief resistance, they were quickly overwhelmed.

In the midst of fan attacks and online feuds, more objective comments like:

"Actually, I think these two people really match well. They seem very compatible, and some of their interactions are quite heartwarming. Plus, they're not cloying or annoying at all, which is really rare."

The c pairing on "Music Bank" this time is really amazing, the visuals are top-notch, you could say it's the most pleasing to the eye c ever, it's particularly comfortable to watch.

"I usually don't watch the c-segments at all, but today I couldn't stop watching. Am I the only one"

Such criticisms of the program itself were also buried, some even from fans. Unfortunately, these were ignored by their enraged comrades.

EXO's fans have opened a new battlefield beyond the usual rivalry with other groups, targeting the collaborators of their idols. This time, they are attacking members of a junior girl group from the same company as EXO. Under the watchful eyes of onlookers, this has generated a lot of discussion and surprising heat, even overshadowing the reactions to EXO's comeback performance on Music Bank and the discussions surrounding the new center position.

The heat is on, but the focus has shifted.

One can only say that losing a horse may be a blessing in disguise.

It's a pretty ordinary music show, with no major mistakes or controversies. Yet, it garnered such a high viewership during the live broadcast and continued to be discussed even after its end. It can only be said that the "Music Bank" production team really knows how to pick their guests. The pairing of Ji-sung and Irene proved exceptionally successful, with excellent on-screen chemistry.

……

"Irene, the company expected your collaboration with Yuan would generate some discussion and buzz, but we didn't anticipate the EXO fans' reaction to be this intense... However, the company will handle it. For now, it's best you avoid looking at online comments."

After a while when the heat dies down and the public and fans become more accepting of you two as a pairing, things will probably get much better.

Outside the Red Velvet practice room, manager Choi Hwi-young called Bae Joo-hyun to the side of the hallway. In a calm voice, she comforted the member who had been consoled by the female team leader moments before.

As an agent, she wasn't worried about how much the fans were arguing online. After all, she understood that "any publicity is good publicity." She was well-versed in using hype and controversy to get attention. Every group would go through this kind of drama before they became popular. Even if the fans remained peaceful, she would find ways to incite them to fight, whether it was against each other or even their own company.

Don't be afraid of being criticized, just afraid that you won't pay attention.

After taking a look at the comments, even Jeon Hye-young couldn't help but furrow her brows. The online EXO and Ji Kyeong-won fanbases were practically tearing into Bae Joo-hyun.

This group of little girls found so many words to attack Blackpink, from their looks and bodies to their age and even their skills. They launched a ruthless all-round assault, and there were also many rumors fabricated around Jennie's debut experience, which were incredibly harsh. Even someone like Haeyeon, who has been in the entertainment industry for a long time, couldn't bear to look at it anymore.

Besides, there are quite a few disgusting methods used by these people. They include specifically creating various ugly pictures and spreading them on different forums, directly attacking the opponent's fan gathering places to disrupt them, calling for ire under s company's accounts, and even going directly to platforms like Qingtai to initiate petitions wanting to execute Bae Joo-hyun directly.

"...Ai-Li who started this petition must not be very old..."

> One can only say that Alice has dominated the peninsula fan circle over the past two years, tearing through opponents with no rivals. Those who were previously invincible, like .p, have been forced to retreat one after another, barely able to withstand her attacks. Her fighting power is truly well-deserved.

Moreover, women know better how to curse other women. Some words are truly harsh and hurtful.

Even though it wasn't her own, even Park Hye-young felt a little angry seeing this. Let alone the one directly involved, Bae Joo-hyeon. She looked at her captain, who was expressionless and silent, with a worried look. Finally, she tentatively asked, "Maybe we could do things like before You give me your phone first, and then..."

"It's okay, oppa."

Suddenly, he spoke up, interrupting her. Between them, after having been silent and focused on listening intently, Bae Joo-hyun raised her head and squeezed out a smile at the manager: "It's okay, anyway, I was scolded last year, and that time wasn't any weaker than now, I'm actually used to it."

Hearing this, Huen-ying couldn't help but hesitate. She seriously looked at her own team captain, watching the weariness on her fair face. The smile she squeezed out had a hint of bitterness and a touch of optimism. It looked a little strained, but the depths of her dark eyes held perseverance and determination, as if she hadn't been affected by anything at all.

"Well, then just remember to look at those comments less. Don't worry, the company will definitely handle it. Your new album preparations are already underway, so when you go back, remind the members..." Jeonghwa nodded and didn't dwell on it any further. She then talked about Red Velvet's upcoming album and let Irene head back first.

She watched as the petite, flat-shoed IU opened the practice room door and disappeared from her view. A sigh escaped her lips.

Who would be accustomed to being scolded Being attacked and insulted always makes people feel sad.

"Unnie, what did Hwi-young Unnie say"

As soon as Bae Ju-hyeon entered the practice room, Kang Se-qi, who had been talking to Son Seung-wan just moments ago, immediately looked at her with some concern. The other members also couldn't help but cast their eyes in response.

After the singing ended today, they saw the commotion online of course. Although they had anticipated something like this might happen before, they didn't expect it to be this intense.

Originally, when it first came out last year, EXO's fans just followed the trend and said a few things without really being too angry. Now their fighting spirit has truly shown itself.

It's just that back then, being a group of five people meant we could share the hate together and comfort each other. But now it's only seulgi left, and I wonder what kind of feelings this usually introverted unnie has seeing this.

"It's okay..."

Facing her sisters' questions, Bae Joo-hyun simply smiled, a smile far less strained than the one she wore in front of her manager. She naturally returned to her previous position and sat down, waving her hand lightly: "Huiyoung unnie just told me about our new album, we're about to start preparing."

"hello"

When

Pei Zhuhyun seemed to know her members well. Sure enough, as soon as she brought up this topic, it immediately caught everyone's attention. The two younger ones beside her couldn't help but gasp and ask out loud. No one even cared about what had just happened or what was going on online.

This time, 《icecreacake》 swept away the sluggish momentum from their debut and gained a considerable amount of popularity, essentially becoming somewhat popular. Naturally, they want to strike while the iron is hot and look forward to their next comeback. At the same time, this also represents the company's attention and expectations for them.

"I heard this time it's a regular album…"

Wow, that's really something.

"That’s really tiring, Oni. When did you probably confirm that"

The practice room suddenly buzzed with excitement as several members started discussing their next comeback. Park Ji-hyun smiled and told a few of the members what she knew, as if she had genuinely been talking about these things with their manager just before.

Midway through, she glanced over and met the concerned expression in Chungha's eyes. Jeon Seyeon wanted to speak but hesitated. Then, Park Jimin winked at her with a smile and continued discussing their comeback for the new album with the other members.

Only at the very end did she briefly step out of the members' discussion, quietly listening to their voices. She sat on the edge of the practice room, leaning against the wall, her legs crossed, staring at the black screen of her phone in a daze.

……

The effect of initial stage seems to have been overshadowed by fans' tearing, but the show's relaxing effect also exists. At least after the program ended, there was a noticeable increase in sales on the g chart that night, although it wasn't much, at least it showed some results.

By the next day, May 2nd, a short-term result of the first-day competition between EXO and BIGBANG had emerged. On the digital sound source front, BIGBANG's two songs, "Loser" and "BaeBae," had basically occupied the top two spots on major music charts as fans stopped vote manipulation and general listeners flocked in.

Especially the lead single "loser" is of exceptional quality. It has withstood the immense attention and heat from the public, and seems to be very popular among listeners. While holding firmly onto the top spot, its listening rate remains high, breaking records several times in a row.

While EXO's two songs are only holding onto the third and fourth positions, interestingly enough, the rankings of these songs switched places earlier this morning. "Aim" (取向狙擊), a non-title track, surpassed "lht" to become the third most popular song, while EXO's title track dropped to fourth. Although it saw a noticeable surge in popularity immediately after its debut stage broadcast yesterday, it couldn't maintain its position for long. Judging by its listening curve and number of listeners, it's slowly falling behind the top three songs.

While the dance tracks on this source are still somewhat lacking, and the quality of 《lht》 is far from that of 《Piao Xiao》's high-quality dance music, it's already quite impressive that it has achieved this level of popularity.

It's great that 《Aiming Sniper》 has been well-received and is keeping up with BIGBANG closely without being left behind. It also occasionally tries to test the waters and see if it can reach the second position,

To add to that, "Spring Day" was also pushed to fifth place. The top five on the daily chart were completely occupied by two boy groups, a strange sight that sparked much discussion in the music industry and among fans.

In terms of sales, there's really no comparison. Not to mention the pre-sale figures which were almost ten times better. After its official release, EXO easily reached 50,000 first-day sales within the first 24 hours. Meanwhile, BIGBANG, despite various fan club promotions and frantic calls for support, only managed to sell 19,298 copies by midnight, ultimately failing to reach 20,000 in its first day of sales.

Experienced individuals are well aware that first-day sales typically represent the peak of an entire comeback period. Without special incentives, such as a captivating performance stage, viral fancams, or positive media coverage highlighting a member's selfless act, significant sales increases are unlikely to occur.

Normally, the estimated sales figure for their debut album, < >, would be around 100,000 copies. Plus, with the final pre-order numbers, it could likely reach a little over that amount.

By the second day, .p had already stopped taking the initiative to compare sales figures or try to get a rise out of others. Even when trying to praise, they would only say something like "selling very well" and gloss over it, or just boast about impressive-looking sales figures.

Both BigBang and EXO's fans are very satisfied with their achievements, going wild with excitement in fan clubs and online, showering praise. Meanwhile, various media outlets, either having received promotional fees or wanting to capitalize on the buzz, have also jumped into the fray.

"According to Sohu Entertainment News, BIGBANG's new song "Loser," released on May 1st at 0:00 AM, topped the charts on major music streaming platforms such as Melon, Bugs, Genie, and Naver Music. “Baebae” followed closely behind, ranking second, further highlighting the formidable power of BIGBANG, the undisputed "king of sound sources."

"K-Info Station: EXO's comeback heat is extraordinary, topping multiple charts with their new release. Pre-orders have once again surpassed 500,000, showcasing the boy group's charisma."

"Bigbang and EXO kicked off a fierce boy group battle in May, each dominating their respective areas with intense competition. This rivalry brought immense attention to the entire K-pop music scene, boosting album sales and streaming numbers, injecting fresh blood into K-pop and making significant contributions to its global propagation."

……

"The news is all about BigBang and EXO, they are so popular."

"Indeed."

“It’s just my feeling, but looking at the current situation, EXO clearly has some advantages. Although they haven't surpassed in sound sources, the difference isn't that big. Sales have crushed them by several times, and the heat is also very high. This time, the seniors are in a bit of danger, hehe.”

In the practice room of YG's building, four or five female trainees were huddled together during their break. They didn't mind that their clothes were soaked with sweat from their just-finished hard practice, and they excitedly discussed the hottest topic in the music industry right now. Kim Ji-ni, as if remembering something, said the last sentence with a tone that was both worried and schadenfreude. After she finished, she even laughed out loud.

The few people next to her glanced at her, not with a very good impression. They didn't say anything, especially Lisa and Park Chae-young. As foreign trainees or dual nationals, their every word and deed needed to be carefully considered, lest they be caught in any shortcomings and cause misunderstandings. It was completely unlike Kim Ji-soo who, due to various factors, could be so carefree and even a bit reckless.

Although she is very polite and well-behaved in front of her seniors, that's all.

"Oh, by the way, which song do you guys like better from these two groups" After looking at some news for a while, Kim Ji-eun suddenly became interested and looked up to ask.

"Of course, it's the songs of the seniors from BIGBANG. I prefer "Loser," it really sounds good." Lisa hesitated for a moment before speaking, carefully choosing her words. After making sure she was right, she scanned the room with her eyes and smiled before opening her mouth.

"Me too, I prefer "Loser" more." Seeing someone speak first, Park Chae-young nodded in agreement.

"I really like the beat of 《baebae》, it's so cool, and the v-shot is great too." Zhao Meiyan also became interested and quickly responded. Then she eloquently shared her thoughts on the video.

They are four people, plus the silent Kim Ji-soo, making up the current YG female group project PKpunk members. This project has been selecting members for several years and now only five remain.

"Oh, that's such a shame, how could you…"

Seeing all three of them looking so wholeheartedly supportive of their senior, Kim Ji-ni felt a bit bored, and then turned to the side to look at Kim Jisoo: "What about you, Jisoo"

Just now, it seemed like she was deep in thought and didn't notice. Suddenly, when she was called out, Kim Ji-soo jumped up in surprise, glanced around a bit dazed, then came to her senses. Her eyes brightened as if she'd been switched on, and she quickly nodded in agreement: "Me I like 'Loser' too."

These losers glanced at each other, as if they understood each other perfectly, and burst into laughter in unison.

"Cut."

I think these people are kind of boring. They're just being cautious because BIGBANG is a senior group from their own company, so they don't dare say they like EXO's songs. Kim Ji-soo glanced at them and silently pursed her lips: "I really like EXO's 'Aim,' especially the style. And池景源 is so handsome..."

Contrary to others, Kim Jennie is truly real.

“Oh, by the way,” she said, her eyes lighting up as if remembering something. “In a few days, should we ask the dorm supervisor for a few spots to go and watch these two boy bands perform and compete live”

"Hmm" Her words immediately caught the attention of the several girls beside her. After all, she was the hottest singer in the music industry right now, and anyone would be excited to get a glimpse of her at a live event. Especially since the target was a boy group – something female trainees were very interested in.

"I'll take a look at the dates, next week both groups should be able to become contenders. For Wednesday's 《shoion》, EXO is unsure if they're going, but BIGBANG definitely won't go. If there's only one group, it's pretty boring, wouldn't it be more fun to compete on stage for the first place Then it should be on the 7th. This should be the first time the two boy groups have competed for the number one spot since their comeback, kekeke, it must be super interesting."

Kim Ji-ni was looking at the calendar, making plans. As she looked, her mind drifted to something happy, and a smile spread across her face like a little fox, revealing two front teeth as she looked forward to it with anticipation. Finally, she looked up at her friend:

Are you guys going

This novel is first released on Traditional Chinese Novel Network.o her She had been sitting here so quietly all night, doing nothing except occasionally glancing at Chi Jingyuan.Naomi doesn't want to go.All night long, Li Zhongxian sat with several YG female traine...