"Okay, from now on I will no longer be your agent,"
Lee Seung-hwan stood in front of the nine members of EXO, his eyes scanning each person's face in turn.
After all, it was a promotion. He was dressed very formally today, in a suit and leather shoes, and his hair was neatly combed, but his eyes were filled with mixed emotions, and he was obviously a little reluctant to give up.
After all, we have been together for more than four years and have been with EXO since before their debut.
Not only Lee Seung Hwan, but also the members of EXO also feel a little disappointed. They all still have feelings for Lee Seung Hwan as their manager. This guy is very good at controlling the scale of management and they have gotten along very well over the years.
"Don't be so serious, I'm not leaving the company..." Feeling that the atmosphere was a little low, Li Chenghuan clapped his hands and laughed, "My office is upstairs now, you can come to me anytime when you are free, not in the future.
No more contact. I am planning to ask you to be a guest and sing a congratulatory song to support me when I get married in two years."
"Brother is actually getting married."
"Haha, then we still have to discuss the appearance fee."
When he said this, EXO also relaxed, and Kim Junmyun, Park Chanyeol and others also laughed immediately.
"Remember to call me if anything happens."
All kinds of teasing and joking also reduced the regret between each other. After chatting for a few words, Li Chenghuan waved his hand: "Let Chengyuan talk to you next. Okay, I'll leave first."
"Brother, goodbye."
As Chi Jingyuan and others said goodbye, Li Chenghuan looked back for the last time, briefly looked at the nine EXO members, and then strode out of the practice room. As his back disappeared behind the door, it seemed to indicate that XO
It has begun to enter another era.
"Anihasay, I am the new manager of the agency, An Chengyuan..."
The name of the new manager of the agency is An Chengyuan. He used to work in the agency department. He is thirty-six years old this year. Although his eyes are small, his facial features have a kind of familiarity. He is slightly fat and the black suit stretched on his body looks a bit cramped.
, Chi Jingyuan also found that this guy seemed to be still trying hard to tighten his waist, and with the still protruding belly, he felt happy when he looked at it.
An Chengyuan introduced himself with a smile on his face, and at the same time he kept looking at the nine members in front of him.
He is very satisfied to be EXO's main manager. Nowadays, SM's most profitable and most powerful group is EXO. All the company's resources and channels have been given priority to XO in recent years, and they have received various benefits.
It is also top-notch, and it is very easy to achieve results. This can be seen from the fact that Li Chenghuan has been promoted several levels after being an agent for four years.
And it’s not just Lee Seung Hwan, most of EXO’s original management team have been promoted this time. It’s like a direct train for promotion in SM.
The former company of EXO's main manager was very competitive, and he only got this position after a lot of activities. The company's senior management is quite satisfied with XO's situation over the years, so he doesn't want to change anything, and Ahn Seung-won himself
I don’t have a strong personality, so I just want to stay with a certain trend for a few years, and then like Li Chenghuan, I will be promoted in a whoosh.
An Chengyuan introduced himself with a smile. As he watched, his eyes drifted to the face of Chi Jingyuan who was standing beside him. His smile suddenly became heavier and he nodded to the group's maknae.
He did his homework before coming, and even the top management even greeted him specially, so An Chengyuan is very clear about the situation in the EXO team, especially for some members who have special treatment.
.
For these royal cash cows with such profound backgrounds that even the company has to support them, An Chengyuan, who has just taken over as an agent, feels that the word ‘management’ may not be appropriate.
Use 'service'.
Chi Jingyuan clearly felt that the new manager showed some kindness to him, and he obviously didn't seem to be a difficult person.
He felt relieved in his heart and felt that this was good.
He is not a difficult person to get along with. Even if he has some special treatment that makes people jealous, he will still care about other people's feelings. As long as the new agent has a few things in mind, nothing will happen.
, something that makes people unhappy.
"...Well, many members have known me before, and I will live with you all in the future, so I won't say more."
After a few words about the upcoming itinerary and accommodation arrangements, the first meeting with the new agent came to an end. An Chengyuan looked at the time, clapped his hands and said, "It's almost time, let's go to the conference room together.
Over there..."
Everyone responded and followed An Chengyuan out of the practice room. Chi Jingyuan, Wu Sehun, and Jin Junmyeon exchanged glances with each other. It was obvious that the members seemed to have a good impression of the new manager.
of.
The most satisfied ones seem to be Park Chanyeol and Kim Jongin... Chi Jingyuan can also understand that although Li Chenghuan is familiar with him, sometimes he still manages it more strictly. The new guy is easy to talk to at first glance, and he is very concerned about their private life.
This is definitely good news for more active members.
I quickly arrived at the conference room, where staff from the planning and music departments were already waiting. After EXO arrived, they briefly exchanged greetings and got straight to the point.
This time’s plan is to research about EXO’s winter special this year.
It's time for the winter special again. Except for 2012, there has been no break since 2013. It has become one of EXO's trademarks to release a special album full of ballads at the end of each year.
The effect of the winter specials year after year is also obvious. From "December Miracle" to "Let It Be" to last year's "Eccentric" and "Sing for You", they are all high-quality works.
, showed their other charm as a top boy group and attracted more fans.
What's more important is EXO's reputation. Nowadays, their sound reputation in the hearts of peninsula citizens far exceeds that of other boy groups. Many of them are due to the influence of these ballads.
At the same time, the singing skills of the members have also been fully demonstrated. Through their consistent ballads over the years, EXO's leading singers have carved their names and impressions as 'powerful singers' in the hearts of the people and fans.
Nowadays, whenever you think of male idols with "excellent singing skills", many people will naturally think of EXO, Ji Kyung Won, and Kim Jong Dae.
Just like when you mention female idols who have "no acting skills", many of them will automatically come to mind.
Although this is the first formal meeting, we have actually discussed the song selection many times before, and there is no need to discuss too much about the style of the album. The style of EXO's winter album has always been similar, leaning towards melancholic ballads.
So the overall progress is very fast.
This year's winter special still uses the form of a mini album, which contains a total of five songs. The title song is "for life".
The title song has actually been decided a long time ago. Chi Jingyuan has listened to this song many times before when he was choosing the song. It continues the consistent style of the winter special. It is a song that sounds slightly sad, but it is
A very soulful and timeless lyrical song.
"For Life" is Kenzie's work. Chi Jingyuan was a little surprised when he heard it... This sister is really amazing. She can write "Monster" and "For Life". Her style has changed so much.
.
But how can I put it this time, the title song does not have an overly addictive chorus or an explosive melody, but it is very comfortable to listen to and of high quality... It’s just that people who like this style may like it very much or not.
People may find it a bit bland.
Chi Jingyuan thinks...it's not as good as "Let It Be".
In comparison, "Miss You", one of the title songs of EXO's comeback this year, is actually of higher quality and more in line with the positioning of the title song of the Winter Special... Unfortunately, it has already been used.
However, Chi Jingyuan didn't express much opinion on this. Up to now, the winter special has almost become a gift song to give back to fans. Of course, the intention is, but he doesn't need to pay too much attention. He still needs more energy.
As for the solo album that comes later in the winter album, according to previous plans, although the two albums were released at different times, the preparation time was almost the same.
The meeting lasted until noon, and all matters for this winter special were officially finalized. The release time is the same as before, in mid-December.
What’s interesting is that SM has not completely given up on the Xiaguo market. Even though EXO has confirmed that they will not go to the mainland for activities this year, this winter special will still release a Chinese version at the same time, and there will also be a Chinese cover and inner pages specially shot for the Chinese version.
, wait, it can’t be said to be careless.
SM has even found someone to write the lyrics for the title song, and the Chinese version of "for life" has a pretty nice name.
It's called "One Lifetime"... Chi Jingyuan likes this name, but it might be a bit impossible to do.
After the meeting, EXO disbanded. Ji Kyung-won and Oh Se-hun had lunch nearby, and soon returned to the company's practice room. After a while, Kang Seul-gi and Yoo Jeong-yeon came with their managers.
.
The reason why Chi Jingyuan did not return to the crew directly after finishing his previous personal schedule is that apart from having a meeting today, the most important purpose was to work on the commercial song "really really".
Because I was too busy in the past few days, the advertising company and the brand have urged me several times, but their progress has been very slow. In order to cooperate with the pre-determined publicity and distribution process, Chi Jingyuan had to bring three friends with him.
I've stayed up late and worked overtime these days to finish the song as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, everyone has become very proficient in dancing and singing... except Chi Jingyuan... After a few more choreography and practice sessions, we can start shooting the MV as soon as possible.
According to the plan, "really really" needs to shoot two versions of the MV. One is as a commercial song for Mercedes-AMG. Chi Jingyuan participated in the shooting alone, and the sound source is also his solo version, which is mainly used for placement on TV and the Internet.
, as well as ground advertising promotion.
The other one is a subway song from SM. The MV was shot together by Ji Kyung-won, Oh Se-hun, Kang Seul-gi, and Yoo Jeong-yeon. The sound source is also a four-person version, and this version was mainly promoted after its release.
The focus of the MV is also different. The former focuses on cars, while the latter focuses on people.
"Have you got a meal yet?"
Seeing Jiang Seulqi and Yu Jeongyeon coming, Chi Jingyuan said hello and asked casually.
"Of course I ate it."
"Eat, Oppa."
The two came over and replied one after another with a smile.
The two of them haven't seen each other for a few days, but nothing has changed. Kang Seulgi seems to be very energetic. It is probably because of the excellent results of this comeback that she is more comforted. Moreover, Red Velvet has been on vacation from singing these days. Although she consciously comes to the company to work overtime every day
Practicing the dance to "really really", but obviously having a good rest.
But Yu Dingyan looked a little opposite, his eyes were dull and his whole face was full of exhaustion.
Jiang Seulqi obviously noticed this and asked with concern: "Jingyeon, why do you look so tired?"
"Because they were filming the MV all night yesterday..."
Chi Jingyuan helped explain casually, but as soon as he said it, he felt that he was a bit talkative. The moment Yu Dingyan's surprised eyes came over, he took the initiative to change the topic and looked at several people with a worried look: "
How are you guys practicing? We don’t have much time. The on-site set-up has been completed and the MV will be officially shot tomorrow. Don’t let anything go wrong then.”
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Don't worry, Oppa, I have been practicing every day these days."
Yu Dingyan suppressed the doubts in his heart and quickly raised his hand to reply.
She has really put in a lot of effort for this collaboration. Recently, Twice is also preparing for a new album. She is really busy with various dance practices and filming, but she will still find time to practice the collaboration every day.
Dance, even if you stay up late and work overtime, is never an exception. The choreography, which is not difficult in the first place, has already formed muscle memory.
Compared with Chi Jingyuan, who spends three days fishing and two days drying nets, and is busy with other things every day and does not practice much dancing, Yu Dingyan really cherishes this opportunity and has such a correct attitude.
"Dingyan must be fine." Chi Jingyuan nodded immediately and praised him in agreement.
In fact, from the last time we practiced together, he had already seen that Yu Dingyan and the others were already pretty good at dancing. He just asked this to change the subject...
At this time, Wu Shixun's disdainful voice floated in my ears: "As for your proficiency last time, don't worry about others. I haven't seen you come to the company to practice dancing in the past few days. You should worry about yourself."
"I will let you know what talent is this time!"
Chi Jingyuan hummed, stood up confidently and clapped his hands: "Stop wasting time, let's get started."
When they got into work mode, the four of them stopped talking and immediately started practicing together with the music. Whether it was Oh Sehun, Yoo Jeongyeon or Kang Seulgi, they had obviously gone through a lot of practice, and they probably had specially adjusted their posture and posture in front of the mirror.
The movements are getting closer to the style Chi Jingyuan mentioned at the beginning.
Compared with the three people next to him, Chi Jingyuan did seem a little unfamiliar at first, and made some mistakes in many movements and positions. However, after jumping off a few times, the previous feeling came back, and his overall performance became better and better.
The better.
Although he really didn't have time to practice during this period, he participated in the overall choreography from the beginning. He worked hard and sweat a lot when he first started practicing, and he still has some muscle memory.
And as he said, he is indeed talented.
"really ~really ~really ~really ~"
"really ~really ~really ~really ~"
The rotary music of "really really" was repeated continuously in the practice room, accompanied by slight gasps and the constant friction sound of shoe soles and the floor.
Although he was too busy and didn’t practice enough, Chi Jingyuan attached great importance to this advertising subway song. Apart from anything else, this was the first time he brought friends and relatives to collaborate together. At first, he brought some to invite them.
I mean, if the song's performance is not good enough because of him, he doesn't know what Yu Dingyan and the others will think, and Chi Jingyuan himself will definitely feel very embarrassed.
So he specifically asked for leave from the crew, and after the others left, he would stay and work overtime all night to practice.
After practicing together for more than ten times in a row, everyone was tired and took a short break. Chi Jingyuan sat there and drank a few sips of mineral water. As soon as he stopped, Yu Dingyan came to the side.
Yu Dingyan looked obviously tired. He took a few sips of the drink in his hand, then wiped his mouth and remembered something, and asked with concern: "Oppa, when will our song be released?"
"Late October, around the 25th, I remember." Chi Jingyuan thought for a while.
"Number 25?" Yu Dingyan paused for a moment upon hearing this, and his expression instantly became exciting.
"This was not decided by me, but by the brand and the advertising agency... Why does it coincide with your Twice's return?" Chi Jingyuan knew what she was thinking at a glance... Twice's return this time
He knew the time a long time ago, and it was not much later than Yu Dingyan.
"Just a few days away."
Nodding heavily, the girl looked a little worried, and she didn't know what she was worried about.
"Stop being so sad and have more confidence in our collaborative song."
Seeing her expression made Chi Jingyuan a little dissatisfied. He waved vigorously to cheer up Yu Dingyan and patted his chest: "Although you probably won't be able to sing, when the time comes, Oppa will lead you to sweep the music charts and directly hit the music charts."
Fei your members who know how to do radio gymnastics every day."
"Oppa~, what kind of broadcast gymnastics? Forget what those haters say, "Cheer Up" was choreographed by you, it was you!! Also, I am Twice too~ I am Twice!!"
Hearing Chi Jingyuan's slander, Yu Dingyan was instantly dissatisfied. He frowned and complained loudly. Then when he saw Chi Jingyuan's inconsistent and perfunctory apology, he smiled helplessly and sighed: "That's what I'm worried about.
…”
As a collaborator, Yu Dingyan is very familiar with the quality of the song "really really". With Chi Jingyuan's tailor-made theme style, distinctive choreography, and extremely addictive melody, just like Chi Jingyuan
That said, she is very confident about this collaboration.
In her opinion, the new song of her group seems a little childish...and as Chi Jingyuan said, the choreography does have a little bit of radio gymnastics.
As Twice, she certainly hopes that her group will return and become a hit, but she also hopes that "really really" will perform well. However, the two songs were released very close together, so it is easy for the popularity to overlap.
Fortunately, this is an advertising song and it doesn't know how to play songs, and even if Chi Jingyuan participates, even if the sound source of an advertising song becomes popular, it won't be too exaggerated...
"Ah, Yu Dingyanxi, you have to pay attention to your position, you are from our side now!"
Seeing Yu Dingyan's worried expression, Chi Jingyuan looked anxious and quickly started ideological work for her: "Don't do anything like an undercover traitor then, and don't paddle on purpose~"
"Oppa~"
Yu Dingyan, who was a little worried just now, couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. He was extremely helpless at this oppa's childishness and occasional disconnection. He smiled and patted Chi Jingyuan's arm.
She didn't say what she had in mind.
Are you the one who has been arguing about paddling in the past two days?
...Although I just 'paddle' for a very cool reason.
While the two were chatting and joking, Jiang Seulqi, who was quietly answering the phone next to her, suddenly let out an exclamation, as if she had heard something unbelievable.
Chi Jingyuan and the others next to her immediately fell silent. Seeing her still worried expression after hanging up the phone, Chi Jingyuan couldn't help but asked curiously: