Peninsula Platinum Era

Chapter 87 The Worried Consort (Part 2, please subscribe)
Just as Chen Shijun was busy advancing his affairs in Los Angeles and was about to return to Seoul, Source Music had already given an initial response to their contact with the IZONE members.

Currently, the company's main focus is on several members of suitable age. Apart from foreign member Miyawaki Sakura, the main effort is concentrated on three vote-rigging celebrities: Kim Ichijo and Kim So-hyun.

As for the leader, Kwon Eunbi, the group had discussed it in an internal meeting and generally felt that she was too old to debut as a group, so recruiting her wouldn't make much sense.

The discussion covered almost half of the members, but received mixed feedback, with some positive and some negative.

Miyawaki Sakura expressed strong interest to the company and inquired about the group's future development and her role within the group.

Although Kim Chae-won's attitude was somewhat ambiguous, it did express a certain degree of willingness. Normally, this would be a tug-of-war, an attempt to seek better treatment for herself.

As for Kim Minju's feedback, it was even more lukewarm. Although Chen Shijun was not optimistic about her at first, he later felt that this girl had a lot of star quality. Although her abilities were not great, she was more than capable of being the face of the group.

There's a saying that if someone can't sing or dance, then they might as well make her the face of the group. But she said she doesn't want to be an idol anymore and wants to make a breakthrough as an actress.

In addition, Jiang Huiyuan, whom Xiaoyuan mentioned, was also added to the list. Chen Shijun even went to look into her, and found that she was indeed pure and beautiful. His sister had quite good taste.

However, her popularity is in the lower tier within IZ*ONE, and other influential figures are not enthusiastic about adding her as a member. They also stated that although both members are considered to be bad at singing and dancing, Kim Minju at least has popularity.

The problem is that Kim Min-ju seems to have had a dream of becoming an actress since she was a child, and the recent controversies have left her physically and mentally exhausted. Even the company's attempts to entice her with potential future acting opportunities have had little effect.

Moreover, it's not that he lacks resilience, but rather that he is quite weak, which Chen Shijun considers fatal. However, if popularity can offset these negative effects, then it seems worthwhile.

In short, there is still a considerable amount of time to move things forward gradually. The company's first choice is Sakura, Kim Minju, and Cho Yuri as the lead vocalists. If Kim Minju does not perform well, Kim Chae-won will be replaced.

However, the lead singer became the final problem, which ultimately stemmed from her management company. Wakeone, backed by CJ, was not an easy company to poach.

“I strongly support Kim Chae-won. Her resilience is perfect for being the soul of a group. Of course, Kim Min-ju is also very good. If possible, my suggestion is to have them all.”

As for Jiang Huiyuan, she can be considered a substitute; if anyone can't handle her, she can be used as a replacement.

Although this girl has the same "actor's disease" as Kim Minju, and no longer wants to be an idol, Wonyoung also said that her heart is not very firm.

Chen Shijun offered his opinion, but habitually glanced at the wise woman beside him, wondering if it would be easier to handle the matter entirely by entrusting her with the task.

"Boss, why are you looking at me like that? Haven't you looked enough yet?"

Thinking there was something on his face, he took out his phone and kept looking at it from left to right. Chen Shijun ignored him and said that this powerful weapon should not be used unless absolutely necessary.

It wasn't that he was afraid of the backlash, but rather that the work was too dirty, and he was afraid of creating a dependency. Although he hadn't taught her any good jobs, Chen Shijun didn't want her to end up like this.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking that you've been working so hard, so I'll buy you a bag before you go back to China."

Chen Shijun, of course, couldn't reveal his true feelings, so he just gave her a perfunctory answer, which made her extremely happy.

She kept complaining that they were all just for Director Chen's amusement. She was much better than those female artists who couldn't do anything. Not only could she share the burden at work, but she could even buy gifts for the younger girls in their personal lives.

Chen Shijun certainly couldn't say it was because of their different net worth. The net worth of a famous actress is definitely different from that of an ordinary working woman. If you want to make a comparison, you can only compare them horizontally with other working women.

However, it doesn't sound very nice to say such things. Although everyone is realistic, they still need to maintain appearances.

The internal turmoil within IZ*ONE did not cause much of a stir, as everyone kept the information they had very well hidden during this time.

The contract hasn't ended yet, and any attempt to find a new client beforehand will be criticized, further eroding the already hard-won unity.

Therefore, to some extent, the entire group has fallen into a strange calm, which is completely different from the previous period. All members have begun to avoid talking about their future.

Kim Chae-won, however, was quite ambitious. In contrast, she didn't have any dreams of becoming an actress and knew that going solo was a dead end. If she wanted to make a living, she had to continue being an idol.

Since Wulin has no plans to launch a new group, I must seize some opportunities. I am quite satisfied with Big Hit's sincerity.

Since there are no issues with my personal wishes, all that remains is the treatment I will receive and what kind of position I will be given in the future.

She is quite confident in her abilities, after all, it was no easy feat to debut by manipulating votes and quickly gain popularity.

He entrusted his mother to continue the negotiations with Big Hit, and indicated that he would have to make certain concessions at some point, since the other party might have other options.

Her mother, Lee Lan-hee, is a drama actress with 30 years of experience. She also appeared in the final episode of "PRODUCE 48" and has acted in several other dramas.

Having established connections within the industry and understanding its rules, coupled with a certain level of cognitive ability, one would not propose any bizarre conditions.

"Don't worry, but you need to build a good relationship with the maknae (youngest member) of your group. Didn't you say last time that the director of Big Hit's company is Jang Won-young's brother? Maybe he can help you."

After all, you might have to work for someone else in the future, so building good relationships is definitely not a bad thing. You might even be able to get better resources by saying a few words.

“I get along well with everyone, but I can’t exactly fawn over her, would that be too deliberate?”

Thinking back to how I teased the maknae about Chen Shijun last time, I almost laughed out loud again. I deliberately left the dormitory and found a quiet corner to squat in the stairwell and talk to my mother.

However, upon closer reflection, it seems that many girls have been much more attentive to Yuan Ying lately. This might be because she has a powerful older brother, but it could also be something else entirely.

I closed my eyes and started trying to remember who was in my room. Miyawaki Sakura was definitely one of them, as she had been taking great care of the person in the bunk above her lately.

Last time, Xiaoyuan had a sore throat, so I ran out late at night to buy some medicine. Now it looks very suspicious.

"If you're going to flatter someone, then you should flatter them. Others might want to flatter someone but don't even have the chance. Besides, what kind of flattery is it to care about your sister?"

Ms. Li naturally knew that in this world of fame and fortune, sometimes you had to maintain a certain image, and sometimes you couldn't.

Moreover, this level of friendship is definitely the most cost-effective kind. The effect will be different if you try to find someone after the group disbands.

"Okay, okay, you're right. You must have a good talk with Big Hit and try to negotiate a better deal for me."

After all, she's a well-known idol who has already debuted, so she should be different from ordinary trainees. There's nothing wrong with Caiyuan's idea.

The girl was discussing the matter with her mother when she realized that someone was approaching and about to greet her, but then withdrew their hand.

Today, someone in the dormitory building may have moved out, causing the elevator to be very crowded. After buying her things, Captain Eunbi didn't want to squeeze up with the crowd, so she took the stairs instead.

I just saw this girl on the phone. She didn't even notice me coming up here. It's probably because few people use stairs. Caiyuan is hiding here to avoid being seen.

Just as he was about to reach out and pat her shoulder, he unexpectedly heard some strange things. He immediately withdrew his hand and hid his body in a corner out of sight.

"I will definitely keep quiet until the group disbands. As for what the other members are up to, I will keep an eye on them. Don't worry, Mom."

Even after Chae-won finished his call and left, Eun-bi, who was standing close by, felt as if she had forgotten to breathe, leaning against the wall to calm her heart, which was about to explode.

"I didn't expect Big Hit to have already made contact, and I'm the only one who hasn't been contacted."

The captain put the shopping bags on the ground. The spring temperature wasn't very hot, but he felt like he was sweating on his face.

Compared to some members who are unwilling to continue as idols, the leader still really wants to do this job, but age is always an insurmountable obstacle. It's not that she can't debut at this age, but the limitations become numerous. Unless she's developed as a group concept from the beginning, she's practically useless as a champion piece.

I covered my face with my hands and suddenly felt that my life was ridiculous. I had clearly exhausted all my strength, but was my career really going to end up being only two and a half years long?

He is confident that he is no less than anyone else, but the market is honest. Kim Chae-won has already received offers, and his other teammates may have received some promises as well, while he is ignored in the transfer market.

He clearly needs this opportunity more than anyone else, but if he returns to the martial arts world, he will most likely only be able to maintain a semblance of popularity by performing a solo match once or twice before gradually disappearing from the public eye.

Although having a great figure can help one gain attention through certain topics, being open and uninhibited is still a rare find in the South Korean market, especially with the added fame of IZ*ONE's leader.

The problem is that she is a very conflicted person. The key issue is that she can't let go. She always wants to save face and wants to maintain this older sister idol image.

The company also provided her with some career planning, which seemed fine from both the company's perspective and her own development direction, but she was still quite resistant to this career change.

"Why not choose me? I can be the eldest sister, I can lead the team well."

Just as some teams choose veterans with fuel in their tanks to fill the locker room, she felt she could still exert influence to some extent.

What she didn't know was that among the people at Big Hit who had the decision-making power over this plan, Miyawaki Sakura, who was 3 years younger than her, was already regarded as a veteran in the locker room.

There was internal discussion about this team leader, because it might require less effort and he does have a wealth of debut experience.

However, we also need to consider the current age of the trainees. If a new group is to debut, the age gap between the eldest sister and the youngest sister will likely be more than 10 years.

Previously, the eldest member of 2NE1, Park Bom, and the youngest member, Gong Min-ji, were also 10 years old, but they were indispensable to the group, and the group's style was not traditional.

"Unnie, what are you doing? Why are you sitting here all alone?"

Today, the elevator being blocked affected not only one woman, but also Xiaoyuan and Angougou, who were also carrying bags as they climbed the stairs.

Unexpectedly, the captain ignored the dust on the ground, plopped down on the stairs, covered his face with his hands, and put his shopping bags on the ground, as if something terrible had happened.

"Ah! Madoka and Yujin, you're back?"

Startled, the captain quickly tried to calm herself down, adjusting her expression and adopting the demeanor of an older sister.

They always insisted on maintaining a hierarchy of seniority within the group, but it was really just a facade of strength because they wanted to maintain their authority due to their age.

"I'm so tired. Why did we have to encounter a resident moving out? They spend so much time away from the dorms. Look at all the stuff we bought."

Yuan Ying felt it was terrible. Generally speaking, she didn't have time to be in the dormitory during the day, but she happened to be resting when the relocation happened.

Carrying large and small shopping bags, her delicate little hands were so tired that they turned red. She kept telling An'an next to her that Chen Shijun would feel sorry for her if he saw this.

Big Dog thought this brat was really pretentious and sometimes annoying. He had just teased her, saying that if he were Chen Shijun, he would definitely find her a tough sister-in-law to teach her a lesson and manage her properly.

"Yes, yes, Yuan Ying is absolutely right. I was carrying things up here too, and I sat down to rest for a while when I got tired."

He patted the dust off his bottom and touched his reddened eyes with his other hand. Although he said he was fine, his unusual emotions were noticed by the two youngest children.

"Really? Are you not feeling well? We'll help you with your things, unnie!"

Although their relationship might be so-so, people generally still acknowledge her as the older sister; it's just that the age gap is too big for them to get along.

"No need, no need. You have many bags in your hands too. Are you going shopping?"

Looking at the two girls with their large and small bags, including cosmetics from big brands, as well as clothes and accessories, I could see a lot of them.

"Hey! I'm very strong, and Won-young's isn't small either, so helping Unnie carry some is definitely no problem."

She puts on a strong and powerful look. Her height and large stature give An An a lot of confidence when she says these things, and make people feel very trusting.

“I can take it myself, but did you two go to rob the mall? You’re so young, it’s not right to squander money like that.”

She seemed to want to use her authority as the older sister to teach her two younger sisters a lesson, even though they could be considered the group's punching bag and didn't really have much prestige.

"No, most of them are gifts from Xiaoyuan to her brother. She said he's starting some kind of company and she'll give them to him when he opens."

An'an thought this girl was really something, buying gifts for her brother and then using his card, she really was using his money to do her own thing.

That one sentence shut down the older sister's words. Yes! She has a rich brother, why would she care about such a small amount?

Even if she stops being an idol, Chen Shijun can easily find her a respectable job, or she can be directly signed to his company.

Where else can I find someone as helpless and alone as myself? I've relied entirely on my own hard work over the years, and while I wouldn't say I've accomplished nothing, things have certainly been far from satisfactory.

The most painful thing is that the idol's golden career is coming to an end, but they haven't earned enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

In her dream, if she could earn enough money to buy a mixed-use commercial and residential building, and then live off the rental income or open a small shop to ensure a stable income regardless of circumstances, then she would have everything she needed in her life.

“My oppa made me swipe my card, but I don’t usually use his money! I often buy him things.”

Won-young doesn't admit that she only spends oppa's money. She only swiped his card this time because a bad woman was spending it, and she felt unbalanced if she didn't spend it herself.

“Our Yuanying is a good girl, she wouldn’t waste money.”

He was verbally responding to his two younger sisters, but he was still somewhat absent-minded, his mind was foggy, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

In this situation, they tried to find a way to save themselves, but after thinking about it, it seemed that no company was willing to take on an older idol to form a group. Basically, every debut plan was limited.

"Unnie, did you buy snacks? But why did the three of you come back together?"

Kim Chae-won, beaming with joy, was unaware that the secret she was trying to keep had been completely revealed to her older sister, causing irreversible damage to her heart.

Although she worked in the same company as this older woman, and should logically be closer to her, some things cannot be shared. Caiyuan knew all too well what it meant to make a fortune in silence.

"We met them on the way here. Let's invite everyone to come and eat together."

Princess Eun placed the pastries on the table and asked the two youngest children to go to another dormitory to call people to come and eat together, but her eyes fell on the smiling Chae Won.

“Caiyuan, once the contract ends, our company might give us a solo performance! We even discussed our development direction yesterday.”

This is indeed true; that's how the martial arts world has planned Consort En's future development, so there's no burden involved at all.

Just then, Kim Chae-won put a piece of pastry into her mouth. Feeling guilty, she paused, and a look of panic flashed in her eyes.

　There will be another long chapter later; 10,000 words for today.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)