Sun and Moon Saga

Chapter 1

“Recognizing talent in others and providing them with a platform to shine is one of YG’s strongest abilities.”

YG

There is talent waiting to be found right inside South Korea's borders. Beyond that, girls with promises from all over the world dream of the opportunity to audition and become idols. The hardest part of being a CEO is choosing the right one. The right one, according to my standards, has to have it all. They must possess the intelligence, raw beauty, and unadulterated skill that will captivate fans. Though I have managed to put together a group that did justice to my expectations, the next generation group has to be bigger and better than my four pioneers in K-Pop history. My team enjoyed assembling 2NE1, exploring a distinctive sound that would identify it as coming from the group and belonging to YG. I am completely confident in the people and the company's ability to deliver the best. From the glam team, choreographers, vocal coaches, and, last but not least, the music producers.

I was sitting in my chair, taking in the view from my office, and thinking about the next big girl group that will change the whole K-Pop scene. If I claimed that I wasn't enthused about this new group, which I am willing to spend more money on, given their potential for significant financial gain, then it would be a lie. I am waiting for the team to come together in my office so that we can discuss our current audition status and whether or not the young ladies they have seen thus far show any sign of promise. Finding these females will enable us to train and prepare them to emerge as the biggest idols in the scene as soon as possible. I heard a knock on my door, and my assistant JunHa was peeking inside.

“Sir, the team is here and ready for your 10 a.m. meeting. Shall I send them in?” She asked with courtesy.

“Yes, send them in,” I simply insisted.

The first to walk in was none other than our lead producer, Teddy. Trailing along were the others, with folders by the handful in hopes that in their pile were a few among the rest who shine and are worth the investment. Present were 2 of Teddy’s colleagues, Danny and Twitch along with Lee Jung, our lead choreographer, Eunchong her assistant, and Miss Sori our vocal coach. These groups of individuals that are now seated before me represent the trifecta needed to procure an idol. Missing in action for the time being is Miss Hae-Won who is in charge of the aesthetics and glam department. There is no use for her to be present at the moment since we first need to find the talent before we can think about how to tailor them accordingly.

“Good morning,” they recited in unison as they took to their seats.

I greeted them with a slight smile to make them feel more comfortable, as they appeared to be anxious.

“Everyone appears to be working hard in pursuit of our new group. I've been wandering through the halls, taking into account how much time and effort you all are putting in. And I must say that I am very proud of you all,” I spoke proudly.

Still, the atmosphere seemed uneasy and that could only mean one thing: they had not yet found potential girls for the project. So I sighed internally and continued,

“I see that our dance studios are almost full each time I pass by. Are there any to be placed in the prospective group? Could you please confirm that at least a couple of girls from the crowd are visible for praise?”

I was hesitant to inquire and equally hesitant to know the answer. They glanced at each other and said nothing. I was beginning to worry. I put out an advertisement looking for girls to join a new group, and it was no surprise that several showed up to give it a try. But watching their facial expressions left me feeling a little disheartened. I eventually heard someone start to speak in a murmur. Hopefully, what they were about to say wouldn't disappoint me.

“Sir,” he began. It was Teddy. Given that he is well-versed in our search criteria, I am confident in his opinion.

“There are some very talented girls here. They have the ability to dance, sing, and have their faces splashed on billboards.”

“Well, that’s great news, isn’t it? Why did you not speak up earlier?” I demanded playfully.

“See, well, these girls do exhibit the talent we are looking for, but it’s scattered,” Teddy said with caution.

“Scattered? What exactly do you mean by that?” I asked as I propped my elbows on the table’s edge.

“In essence, a person may be skilled at dancing but not at singing. Or perhaps someone is good at singing but not very attractive. Although it might sound superficial, I just wanted to be direct and honest while taking into account your preferences. These are the cards that we have been dealt, but as of yet, there isn't an ace.” Teddy blurted with honesty in his expression.

I leaned back on my chair, swiveled away from their sight and stared at the framed art hung on the wall: I AM EASILY SATISFIED WITH THE VERY BEST. Exactly that. I wanted the best, and nothing would stop me from creating it. So, who was under more pressure? Was it me or my employees? or these young girls auditioning? All I know is that somewhere in that deck lies more than one ace, and I am bound to have it in hand. I became lost in my thoughts and completely forgot about the meeting that was taking place. So I swiveled back to their view and noticed their stares with a glare of patience.

“Their vocals can be trained, Sir, months and months will surely help them,” Miss Sori said with hope in her tone.

“The dancing can be as well, Sir. Many of the girls are very dedicated and since they are still young, they are very passionate and willing,” LeeJung added.

“I have no doubt what you're capable of molding; therefore, I'm hopeful you can find at least two of the four skills we're seeking. Therefore, I am glad I decided to hold overseas auditions as well. With that, I am sure we are bound to find... Before I could continue, I noticed their eyes widened in surprise.

“Overseas?” Teddy asked.

“That’s right. Let me cut to the chase. Teddy, I am appointing you to lead an audition team in Thailand. Miss Sori, I take it you wouldn’t mind overseeing candidates in Australia? And LeeJung and Eunchong, you and your team will continue here in Seoul and assess the trainees and other auditions.” I didn't give them time to respond and just gave them a glare of impatience and waited as they nodded in acknowledgment. Before they could gather their thoughts, Junha knocked softly and entered shyly.

“Sorry to interrupt, Sir. I have your 11 a.m. meeting waiting for you. If you need more time, I can direct them to the cafeteria first.”

I looked at her with authority and replied, "No, it’s fine; we are just about done here. All I needed to say has been said. Please, JunHa, inform the team of their overseas itinerary on their return to their respective assignments.”

“Yes, Sir. I have their packets ready for them.”

They all stood up to follow my assistant, and before they were out of sight, I jumped up from my chair with a tight fist in the air as I yelled, “Fighting!” They turned back and copied my gesture and I gave them a hopeful smile.

I sat back down and looked at the pile of folders containing the documents of potential trainees when suddenly the intercom on the phone chimed.

“Sir, it is ten to 11, and I wanted to know if you want your 11 a.m. now or at the allotted time?” Junha asked.

“I’m not that busy, so I am fine with conducting it earlier than their appointment time.”

“Sure thing, Sir, I will send in Ms. Kim right away.”

I completely forgot who my 11 A.M. was until Junha called it in. Yura Kim is a well-known shareholder of SME Entertainment. An elegant yet powerful woman who knows the industry very well. I'm not sure why she wanted to meet in the first place, given how our companies compete in the industry. What could she possibly want from us? Is she here to stage a PR stunt to boost market share prices? Who knows. The only way to find out is to keep her entertained. Whatever it is, I'm sure we can both benefit from this meeting. I hope. Not long after, she walked into my office with an aura of sophistication. I stood up to welcome her and pulled out a chair. She gave me a nod of appreciation and placed her Chanel bag right beside her. She shot me a smile that had business written all over it and I braced myself.

“Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Yang. I know you are a very busy person,” she said with a smirk.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of Ms. Kim?” I replied politely.

It took a while for her to respond as she looked around my office and saw that her eyes were fixated on the same framed art I was staring at moments before she came.

“I AM EASILY SATISFIED WITH THE VERY BEST,” she read out loud.

“I notice you like that saying as well. Those who disagree with that quote only say it in their heads, never aloud. But, since you read it out loud so openly, I assume you agree with me that it's worth framing.” I said it with a tone of cockiness.

“Well, Yang, you’re free to gloat, seeing how successful your girl group 2NE1 has become.”

I was taken aback by her praise for my girls, and it was quite refreshing to hear, especially coming from her.

“Thank you, Ms. Kim, I appreciate your candor. You're not here, I'm sure, merely to compliment me on my work with the girls. Not that I have to leave my workplace right away, but what can I do for you?” I stated blandly. She smiled again with that iron-clad smile of hers, and shortly, the smile faded. It was almost automatic how she went from pleasant to all business in a split second.

“Alright, well, I guess there’s no need to circle around the matter, so I will just go straight to the main reason why I am here.” She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, “I am aware of the auditions that you opened overseas as well. And…” I cut her off before she could go on.

“That’s right. I hope your company doesn't attempt to sabotage our efforts. These are not auditions for other companies, but rather for YG.” I protested.

“Mr. Yang, there’s no need for you to be hostile with me. I can assure you that my company has no plans to undermine your plans and ventures. As a matter of fact, my company is completely unaware that I am currently meeting with you. and I hope to maintain it that way.” She noticed my look of confusion and she continued,

“Your framed art says a lot about you. While I truly believe that to survive in this industry we’re in, we have to have the best. Not just locally, but globally. That’s why I came here to offer you a first-hand look at my daughter.”

I looked at her for quite some time, unsure of what she was offering.

“Pardon? With all due respect, Miss Kim, if your daughter wants to audition for YG, then she will have to go through the same process as everyone.”

“Like I said, if you go by the mantra of your framed art, then look no further and see for yourself what my daughter is capable of. I am not forcing her on you or upselling her just because she is my daughter; but give her a chance. I guarantee you, she’s the full package.” she proudly said.

Although she already stated what she was doing here, I still don’t understand why she is here. Her company is more than capable of turning her daughter into an idol, if that’s how confident she is in her flesh and blood. So I am having a hard time with her propaganda.

“Ms. Kim, let’s be frank here. SME isn’t just a basement company. Your company has enough resources and power to turn your daughter, whom you highly speak of, into a worthy idol. So why come here? Why YG?” I quipped.

“Well, to be honest, I don't want people to assume that because I own a portion of the company, I’m solely responsible for her stardom and not for her actual talent. I want her, my daughter, Jennie, to be able to shine and gain recognition for her abilities and potential,” she implied with a soft and maternal tone. I listened to her as I tilted my head in hopes that her daughter was legitimately the full package. My wandering thoughts of uncertainty turned into curiosity all of a sudden.

“But here you are, Ms. Kim, using your power, attempting to secure her an audition for which you do not wish to be credited,” I retorted. Her face was blank and unreadable. So I took in the moment of silence and continued, “I won’t deny that we are hoping to find a talent sooner than later. And if your daughter, Jennie, is what you insist is the next big thing, then I would be foolish to deny her an opportunity to prove herself.”

She abruptly interrupted me before I could say anything more. A smile crept across her lips as I allowed her to speak,

“Thank you, Mr. Yang. I have full confidence in Jennie, and I truly hope she meets your expectations and beyond. If not, then I am still grateful for your time.”

I plastered a smile on my face as well as fixed my posture.

“Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression that you want this done as soon as possible.” I said.

“The sooner, the better. She is currently in New Zealand, and I would rather that we resolve our propositions now so that I can plan for her arrival and get her settled here in Seoul.” Ms. Kim implied.

“Then it’s set; I will have my assistant JunHa establish a timetable upon her arrival in Seoul so that we can give her a thorough evaluation as soon as possible. But there’s one more thing, Ms. Kim, why of all the entertainment companies here in Seoul, why YG?”

She quickly glanced my way and took a deep breath prior to speaking further.

“I…I feel that YG is the safest choice for her. You know, to express her creativity and talent.”

I gave her a polite glance before she could get up to conclude our meeting and remarked, “Recognizing talent in others and providing them with a platform to shine is one of YG’s strongest abilities.” As I watched her walk out of my office, her daughter, Jennie, kept coming to mind. I sincerely hope she has everything I'm searching for. An ace in any case. The knowledge that at least one ace was found would be beneficial to this project, and I'm eager to see her audition and learn more about her—our potential “IT” girl.