The Famous Millionaire

<This product seems designed for the wrong use. I would call it an accessory rather than a ball-point pen.>

<Is this a lighter? Hummm… I don’t want to use it to light a fire. It looks like we have to use this lighter for a different purpose. Where can I use it?>

His comments were rather aggressive as if they were the comments by someone who bore a grudge against the company that made the product.

“What the hell is he doing now? I have to call him to delete such comments as soon as possible. Oh, you can delete here, right? Delete them as quickly as possible.”

Jinyoung nervously urged Hyunwoo to take the action.

But Hyunwoo didn’t move. Rather he gave a confident smile to Jinyoung.

“Don’t worry. In fact, I told him to do so.”

Opening his eyes wider, Jinyoung asked, “Did you tell him to do that? Why?”

“Well, it’s noisy marketing.”

Jinyoung made a blank expression. Checking his expression, Jinyoung felt Hyunwoo had some sort of trick in mind, but that was too risky in his eyes.

Hyunwoo explained calmly, “As you know, all the products here are made in Vietnam. Though he didn’t reveal the brand of the products, they’re all made by KOVE companies in Vietnam. Soon KOVE DREAM will ask Jinhon for an open apology through the press.”

Jinyoung was still confused but soon understood his intention.

“I wish you had consulted with me in advance, brother. I was really surprised.”

“Actually I was going to tell you when I met you today. But Jinhon quickly posted such comments. I thought he would upload them over the weekend.”

Jinyoung nodded, but he was still nervous because there was a big uproar on his blog already.

The visitors to his blog posted numerous comments on his postings. As most of them were his fans, they supported his comments with replies such as “They shouldn’t sell those products,” and “That’s why Vietnam is a third-rate country.”

But there were also many comments criticizing Jinhon’s post, complaining that a public figure like him should not post such reckless comments on certain products.

Jinyoung’s face darkened all the more.

“This kind of noisy marketing is good as long as it achieves its goal, but isn’t it too risky?”

“Don’t worry. If you look at his comments, he doesn’t attack the products directly. He just denounces them figuratively.”

Jinyoung read his comments again.

Hyunwoo was right. At a glance, his comments seemed to criticize the bad quality of the product in question, but there was no direct attack.

For example, the lighter he commented on was a high-end one, so he commented it could find its use better as a gift than a lighter.

Though his comment was a bit far-fetched, it could pass as one of the noisy marketing methods as intended by Hyunwoo.

Only then did Jinyoung let out a sigh of relief.

After a brief conversation like that, both of them entered the faculty room of the alternative music school.

Soyun Han was not seen there. Obviously, she didn’t come because Jinyoung would most likely persuade her to come back.

Of course, she decided to come out to the world by participating in the music video, as suggested by Hyunwoo. But it was a secret between her and Hyunwoo. She had to keep it secret and hide it to the end.

Both Hyunwoo and Jinyoung went to the music room and heard the edited version of ‘Temptation.’ Jiah also danced to the tune of the song. Her dancing showed a different style as if it went through several changes with Soyun’s coaching.

As a layman on music, Hyunwoo just tried to get the feel of the music, but Jinyoung played it several times with intense focus. And then he shook his head, saying,

“The song is good, the singer is good, and her dancing is good, but they don’t match well…”

He gave his feedback like an expert in the field. The principal and the teachers present there kept nodding at his sharp criticism.

Suddenly Hyunwoo proposed an idea.

“What about Angela singing this song?”

“I am afraid she will find it hard to digest the feel of the song because her voice is too bright. And she is too young for the song,” said Jinyoung.

Then he added, letting out a sigh,

“As a matter of fact, this song is perfect for Yuni.”

Hyunwoo opened his eyes at that.

“Yuni? Are you talking about Soyun Han?”

Jinyoung nodded.

Hyunwoo was surprised to hear that. He had hardly seen her sing a song when she did activities as a member of Hey Girls. What she sang, if any, was kind of a simple rap song.

“I thought she was an excellent dancer. Is she also a good singer?”

“Not really, but she can’t produce a high-pitched tone. But this song doesn’t need that. This kind of sexy song fits her voice very well.”

“This song also contains lots of high tones.”

“Of course, it can be rearranged. If a high tone is needed, it can be replaced with featuring.”

At that moment Hyunwoo seemed to find a perfect solution. If Soyun can sing and dance together, it will have a more powerful impact when her real identity is revealed later.

What’s important was Soyun’s intention.

Hyunwoo was not sure whether she could agree.

Let me ask her first. As she has decided to pluck up the courage, I hope she can do it.

Jinyoung also pointed out some other problems of the song.

“I appreciate the unique melodies of the song, but its flow is not natural. I feel tired after hearing it a bit. On the other hand, the dancing is very good. If the dancing student can bring out the feel of the music, the song can be much more effective. I think you should focus on dancing rather than music.”

The principal’s face brightened at that.

“In fact, we prepared several other songs as you’re coming here. Though we selected ‘Temptation’ as the finalist, there was fierce competition. Can you hear some of the songs that competed with Temptation?”

“Of course.”

The teachers played the songs one by one.

And Jinyoung gave his expert opinion on each of them, and he sometimes highly praised some.

“Wow, are you sure these songs were really composed by a student?”

“Yes, that’s right. Two of them were composed in the past. The composers already graduated. And one of them was composed by a student still here.”

“The feel of the songs are really good. If you market them even now, they will gain a good reception. How can this kind of songs be hidden here?” said Jinyoung in an excited voice. Obviously, he got more ambitious about music after Jinhon’s Duckling Fly hit the jackpot.

“Well, we all owe it to Hyunwoo, who helped Jinhon make his name known by making the music video ‘Duckling Fly.’ Without his efforts, there would have been no way for the people to know songs like that.”

Jinyoung nodded as if he understood the situation. At the same time, he gave them a regretful expression.

“The problem is that songs like this don’t grab people’s attention even if they are made in music videos,” said Jinyoung.

The teachers made a gloomy expression at that.

Feeling heavy, Hyunwoo gently cut in,

“Can we use them as intermission music of movies?”

“It depends on the movie director. How can the movie director know the value of these songs?”

“Even if the movie director knows it, he won’t use an anonymous composer’s song,” rejoined the principal, taking side with Jinyoung.

But they were surprised when Hyunwoo proposed, “Why don’t we make a movie on our own?”

“What? Making a move?”

Hyunwoo nodded and said, “Why can’t we make a movie when we already made a music video? We can make the five-minute music video ten or twenty times longer than now?”

Smiling dejected, Jinyoung said, “Are you joking now? In particular, even one animation movie costs between a few billion and tens of billion won. If you look at the animation movie made in the USA, you will see it costs more than one trillion won on average. It’s completely different from music videos.”

“Well, that kind of animation movies are for the general audience at the theater. What I’m talking about is an amateur film at a low budget.”

Jinyoung and the teachers scratched their heads.

Admittedly, Hyunwoo didn’t know much about animation movies, so he vaguely thought there was not much difference between music videos and animated movies.

In fact, he was interested in making animated movies in the future, but he felt he could advance his plan thanks to the songs composed by the students of Todolyipyo.

“Well, let me go back to the office and find some way. I’ll give it a try anyway.”

“Sure, you have nothing to lose even if you give it a try,” said the principal.

They had lunch at the school cafeteria.

Jinyoung went back to Seoul because of his shooting schedule, and Hyunwoo stayed a little longer.

He spent some time, looking for a chance to talk with Soyun.

And then he secretly met her.

“Why don’t you sing the song? Of course, I’ll hide your identity,”

She shook her head as soon as she heard it.

“No matter how hard you try to hide my identity, there are some who still can find me out. In particular, Jinyoung knows my voice.”

Nodding his head, Hyunwoo said, “Of course, Jinyoung will come to know it. But if he keeps quiet about it, I don’t see any problem. You should make a hit with the music video if you want to realize your dream.”

“Oh, no. Don’t push me around. I’m just scared.”

Then Hyunwoo proposed an idea that might be appealing to her.

“How about participating in the form of featuring? There is a main singer for this song, but you can use your voice only when the feeling of temptation is needed for the song. Of course, I can do it without Jinyoung knowing it.”

“Featuring?”

Fortunately, she seemed to show interest, which made Hyunwoo persuade her enthusiastically.

“Just imagine that you reveal your real identity when the music video makes a big hit later. Isn’t there a big difference between your role as a simple back dancer and that as a vocalist?”

In her mind, the difference was very big. And with a bit of disguising the tone of her voice she could deceive Jinyoung, she thought.

Of course, Jingyong could get wind of that, but if he kept silent about it, she could achieve what she wanted.

Hyunwoo also mentioned, “And let me prepare a special program about you and have it broadcast.”