Chapter 778: The Great Legacy (23)

The news that NewBlack had become a major shareholder of Lemon Entertainment spread quickly.

—[Breaking] NewBlack becomes major shareholder of Lemon Entertainment

Most people reacted the same way.

“Still hadn’t got it until now?”

Because they’d been acting like they already owned shares, a lot of people assumed they did.

“Deserved it... lol”

“Woah; since NewBlack showed up revenues have quadrupled”

“If you quadruple revenue you should give them shares”

“That’s not giving shares, that’s gifting them lol”

“Why does it feel like that should be obvious lol”

If a company doing a hundred billion won in sales grew to four hundred billion in a few years, people would call it huge growth.

But if a company with hundreds of billions in sales quadrupled in just three years and reached trillions?

“Huge” wouldn’t be enough to describe it.

“But how much did they get?”

Curious readers read the article and saw “4% of total shares per member.”

Simple math.

Conclusion: spaceship 20 percent

The underlings don’t get voting rights lolol

???: What voting rights, hyung? / ???: Just give them to me / Yep!

Voice support insane lol

I’d back Sun Wooju no matter what lol

NewBlack born into owner family lol

Not blood ties but money ties

They’d actually split the twenty percent into fifths, but somehow it visually looked like Sun Wooju owned twenty percent.

Then joke posts spread in the communities.

[Lemon Entertainment doomed.. write that]

(image: dictator coaching a soldier at a computer.jpg)

Current status of the producing team.JPG

lololololol

From illegally bossing people around to legally bossing people now

Major shareholder (20%)

Producers have every right to cry lol

Poor things...

Please look at the corner of the teacher’s mouth. The smile is twitching.

The wicked crown prince finally crowned king lol

???: Try calling him Master

In reality, Lemon’s producing and A&R teams looked stunned.

“Major shareholders......”

“Why would the CEO decide something like this......”

“Don’t worry too much. Even without shares it was tough—shares won’t change much.”

“That’s true.”

“What if Woo suddenly switches to informal speech? I feel like I’ll get spoken to formally again.”

The producers, sensing their unchanged fates, laughed nervously.

The group that reacted most sensitively to NewBlack receiving shares was the securities world.

[NewBlack holding shares can be seen as removing Lemon Entertainment’s biggest risk.]

Analysts wrote reports along those lines.

Although Lemon had recently been expanding into TV and content production, those efforts were still in the early stages.

The company’s core business was, plainly, NewBlack itself.

If NewBlack had said “goodbye, I’m leaving!” everything could have collapsed; handing over a large block of shares solved that problem.

A profitable product with its risk removed?

An attractive investment.

So both securities firms and individual investors were paying attention.

Is Lemon Entertainment going public???

National Pension Fund: licks lips

I think the National Pension Fund is standing outside Lemon’s door rn

Please let me ride the NewBlack coin plz

Do you have money to buy?

Don’t be cowardly and hit me with facts, you bastard

I can stake my 30-year stock career on this: if Lemon goes public it’ll hit the upper limit three times

Sir, if you’ve done stocks 30 years why are you here

If I’d been that good I wouldn’t still be here...

Aaaahhh

“Lemon Entertainment” trended on stock sites, and business and finance channels discussed Lemon alongside NewBlack’s stake news.

[Putting blockchain aside, next up is Lemon Entertainment news.]

[Lemon has been aggressively expanding into content and media...]

[If they go public it’ll be insane. Imagine! It’ll skyrocket.]

But Lemon Entertainment cooled those rumors with a statement.

—Lemon Entertainment: “No plan to go public next year... please refrain from speculative reporting”

They said they needed to build internal strength first, so they would not be listing.

A rational decision.

If they listed, everything would turn toward the stock price.

An IPO brings all kinds of shareholders and outside parties—if you’re executing projects with a roadmap, going public isn’t necessarily the right move.

“I’ll buy if they list later.”

Investors thought that and filed the memory of Lemon Entertainment away.

On idol fan communities the stock talk moved around too.

[Realtime: TJ Entertainment stock]

(image: red line surging up.jpg)

Stock jumps right after Chairman Park Taejun’s retirement ceremony lol

Money doesn’t lie

The old man had some wins and losses

Not sure if the new CEO Han Youngjun is up to it; seems management-oriented but not creative

I feel bad for the old man; if he hadn’t been so business-minded he might still be active

Well, thanks to him they could buy buildings and live well lol

From the fandom perspective it’s a shame, but money-wise it’s a legendary cash grab; how many buildings do the members have now?

While debates about Park Taejun’s capabilities and the new CEO’s prospects raged, speculation about why Park retired largely converged.

Hundred percent jealousy lol

Karma for releasing Sun Wooju lolol

Wasn’t there a rumor Sun Wooju was supposed to debut with TENTI? If they’d debuted him that’d have been jackpot

That old man isn’t the long-view type lol

After Sun Myungjoo’s show announcement it’s more mysterious; why release him?

One of the three great mysteries of the industry

Comments about Sun Wooju’s past dance skills poured in, and the former chairman fumed.

Offline the news of NewBlack’s stake ownership spread as well.

“NewBlack got company shares?”

“They gave them a lot. Do CEOs usually give that much to artists?”

“That bald boss looked greedy. He probably can’t sleep after giving it away.”

Older folks talked this way, while the True fans quietly smiled.

A fancam preview posted on SNS:

[Bald Guy Male Character Holic]

@Mu_mu_holic

171208 Park Gyuho morning arrival preview

Park Gyuho with the happiest expression arriving at work

He’d seemed gloomy lately, but now the whole world lit up.

“He’s happy. Gyuho-chan.”

Fans nodded with satisfied smiles, then suddenly froze.

“Hm?”

It had been so natural they hadn’t noticed.

“But why does Gyuho have a stan account?”

News that we had acquired shares had made quite a splash.

Search terms like “underling shares” and “Wooju” were trending in realtime.

“Yaaaawn~”

I stretched and warmed up in the recording booth.

I lowered the mic that Junhyun had raised and took a sip of iced chocolate.

Through the speakers came Team Lead Na Sangyun’s voice.

[Ready, Master?]

I laughed at the mildly respectful expression the producing-team lead made beyond the soundproof glass.

“Cut it out, PD.”

[How could I tease the major shareholder?]

I rolled my eyes at him, who was enjoying it a little too much.

Although we’d been crowned Lemon Entertainment’s new major shareholders as of yesterday, nothing in my daily life really changed.

If anything, the only difference was playful texts from friends like, [Major shareholder, give me shares too].

[Ready?]

“Yes.”

[I’ll start from the second part.]

“Before that, could you play Haley’s part first? I want to sketch the whole thing.”

[Yes. Got it.]

I nodded and adjusted my vocal muscles while reading the English lyrics.

English songs require an English-style vocal approach.

Listening to the melody in the headphones, I murmured in admiration.

As expected.

A breezy pop sound worthy of a top American singer-songwriter.

The song title on the lyric sheet caught my eye.

[Haley Blue - Popsicle! (feat. The New Black)]

This was the track Haley had agreed to feature on.

It was one of the album tracks slated for next year, and one of the singles to be pre-released.

In the U.S., you often drop a lead single months before the album, and this recording would be among the second or third singles released.

No wonder the quality was high.

Baby

it’s time to say goodbye

A voice as clear and refreshing as Ri Hyuk’s female version sang the verses with bright, transparent tone.

You could feel the sheen in the voice.

Feeling the blue vibrations of the sound, the imagery of the song assembled itself in my head.

A world of colorful tones.

Jelly-like inhabitants bouncing on a fluffy sponge cake, candy popping in the sky instead of fireworks.

Imagining such things, I stepped into my part.

Three. Two. One.

Pop pop pop

You’re my popsicle

I rounded the “pop” in the chorus and snapped my lips to make it soft.

[Good. Shall we move on?]

“No.”

I felt I could make it just a bit more perfect.

“One more take.”

[OK.]

Recording went smoothly.

“One more.”

[OooK....]

“One final time.”

[.......]

We recorded until we had perfect quality, then I stepped out of the booth.

“Fighting.”

“Direct well, okay?”

I handed the baton to Ri Hyuk and sat down.

The Haley feature had most of us stacking harmonies on the chorus, with Ri Hyuk taking a few parts.

“Ri Hyuk, Haley wrote this for her daughter. Keep that in mind—sing a little softer.”

[Yes.]

“If unsure, sing as if you’re singing to Jiho.”

“Ah, hyung!”

[Quiet!]

I placated the offended youngest line and got back into the session.

Until now we’d sung mostly sexy or heavy-message songs; Haley wanted a softer track this time, so we controlled the delicate details accordingly.

Ri Hyuk’s results vary a lot based on directing, so we were extra careful.

A 1mm change can send him off course like a spaceship missing by tens of kilometers.

That’s how good he is.

Luckily the recording finished quickly.

“Good job, everyone.”

“Yeah, well done.”

“Please organize the takes and send them to Haley Blue’s agency.”

“Okay.”

We packed up and stretched; Team Lead Na Sangyun looked tired.

“Head straight to practice room, no rest?”

“Yes.”

“Take it easy. Don’t collapse from gastritis again.”

“We’re in a comfortable spot now.”

The Grammys had no live stage for us; for the world tour we’d prepare like any concert, but apart from year-end broadcast stages we had no heavy schedules.

We smiled at the worried team lead.

“We’re actually pretty relaxed lately.”

“The closest big thing is the PyeongChang Olympics—closing ceremony’s at the end of February...”

“We really have nothing much on our plates.”

But at that moment Junhyun’s voice came through.

Zzzzzz—

“.......”

“.......”

On my phone appeared the caller ID labeled [Math Demon], our TF team leader.

Creak.

When I looked up his bear-like face emphasized something.

“It’s a coincidence, hyung.”

“.......”

“Really, it’s a coincidence.”

No one believed him.

“Congratulations, Wooju.”

Seokhwan hyung grabbed my hand.

“It’s the opening ceremony!”

“.......”

“The PyeongChang Olympic opening ceremony!”

Tears nearly welled up from happiness.

Ah. Such joy—

Sun Wooju is happy, everyone!

“Why? Because you like it?”

“Yeah. I’m so happy......”

At first I was glad for a little rest, then immediately another opportunity arrived.

Still, it wasn’t a lie that I was happy.

“Really the opening ceremony?”

“Yep!”

Seokhwan hyung beamed.

“The organizing committee contacted us asking if you could perform at the opening. We said OK for now.”

“Good job. That’s a must-do.”

If you choose between opening and closing ceremonies, the opening is the honor.

Even at the London Olympics there were many pop acts at the closing, but hardly anyone featured in the opening.

Of course, I probably won’t be presented only as a pop musician.

“Is this related to my father?”

“That’s right.”

Seokhwan nodded.

“I haven’t received the detailed plan yet, but it sounds like Sun Myungjoo’s piece will play and you’ll perform piano on it.”

“That’ll need a lot of practice.”

“They plan your father’s piece first, then maybe you play one of NewBlack’s tracks in a piano version as a response.”

Good idea.

“It doesn’t have to be a NewBlack song. If you have an original or another good piece, tell them.”

“I’ll think it over.”

I asked Seokhwan.

“So it’s my solo stage, right?”

“Yeah.”

“When’s the opening? I thought early February.”

“February 9.”

Seokhwan checked the calendar and we counted the time.

Exactly two months.

About three minutes of playing—two months is enough to prepare.

“A great chance.”

A good way to promote my dad’s piece.

The Olympic opening is a prestigious stage for any musician.

“Also,” Seokhwan said, “Aren’t you going to New York soon? You can get ideas there.”

“Right. Perfect timing. I’ll listen to the brothers’ opinions and get feedback in New York.”

I was going for one day to comment on a jazz album recording; I planned to ask the jazz masters there for opinions and left the TF office.

Night had fallen.

I waved to staff heading out for late-night street food and walked the corridor.

“Hello!”

“Yes, hello.”

“Interns Jeong! Wosik! reporting!”

A staffer greeting me like I was the CEO made me wave off the formality.

I’m not some company owner...

“It’s fine.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

After sending off the staff, I glanced back down the corridor.

I saw a conference room with lights on and went in to turn them off.

“Hehe... kekeke!”

A stern smile spread across my face.

“This must be what being a major shareholder feels like.”

I felt compelled to treasure company property and turn off lights in empty bathrooms.

I sang a childish song about wanting to be on TV, like when I really did appear on TV.

Owning the company felt oddly pleasant.

Heading to the break room I found the underlings cleaning.

“What are you doing?”

“The break room was dirty.”

“Why are you cleaning when you never did before...?”

Then I realized.

“Right.”

Nod.

“Because it’s ours now.”

Nod.

We shared a warm smile and sat down.

Ri Hyuk rolled a lint roller over my sweater to remove dust.

“Started?”

“No, not yet.”

Biju offered apple juice.

“It’s advertising time now. Seems like lots of ads.”

“Oh.”

Under the PBS logo on the break-room TV a documentary title scrolled.

[PBS Special Documentary: He Was Like the Sun <Part 1>]

It was the program I’d been interviewed for—a documentary about musician Sun Myungjoo’s life.

A show introducing my father to people who didn’t know him.